


Starfall

by SynapticFirefly



Category: Codename: Kids Next Door
Genre: Civil War, Drama, F/M, Science Fiction, Suspense, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-11
Packaged: 2017-12-12 05:03:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 147,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/807587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SynapticFirefly/pseuds/SynapticFirefly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chad Dickson believes he is the last person to be tasked with the protection of the newly decommissioned Rachel McKenzie. And as the Kids Next Door is soon racked in civil war, he struggles to keep the balance and possibly find redemption in the place he least expected. But a greater threat lies beyond the stars and when they fall, so will Earth. 274/362</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

_"The biggest meteor shower we have seen in years will make its way across New York's skies,"_ The live stream video feed freezes for a second, buffering before returning to normal. The toneless anchorwoman continues her report. _"NASA has proclaimed that all of the meteors will burn up in Earth's atmosphere, but reports about satellite interference from such a spectacle will-"_

The woman's report drowns away as people began to chatter loudly from the balconies below. So much that she had no choice but to click her phone shut and simply wait for the stars to fall. One child points at the visible moon above them and whispers in excitement to her equally small friend, "Do you think it'd be much better to see the shower from Moonbase?"

"Probably," The little girl nods. "Too bad we got swing shift this time, huh?"

Any other adult wouldn't have picked up their chatter, too busy being _adults_. But she did. She looked down from her perch on the highest point of the skyscraper, deciding that the two children were of more interest than the skies. But only for a moment.

"Quick! Make a wish!" A mother whispers to her child, who gleefully points up at the sky.

A star falls from the heavens, causing even the children to pause their conversation and gaze at the spectacle. She looks back up, another star falling from the violet skies, the sun nearly disappearing into the horizon. Stars fell in succession, each rapid than the last until the entire sky was home to them, meteors burning up in long trails of star dust.

"They say seeing falling stars in your dreams signify a wish recognized, but never fulfilled." A deep voice rumbles from behind her. It was soft, teasing. She tries to calm the chill up her spine by clutching her phone tightly in her hands, but to no avail. Her façade crumbles. A single tear slowly makes its way down her cheek, falling into the street far below.

_I wish for these stars to fall. Let these dreams end so I can look to the future. So we can look to the future._

* * *

**Stars**

**Travel**

**Across**

**Regret**

**For**

**A**

**Love**

**Lingers**


	2. Year Zero - Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Infinity sleeps, the Chosen One makes a humble request, and Second Best undergoes a journey.

**Year Zero**  - Death

"Can I ask you for a favor, Numbuh 274?"

A nasty curl of lips formed on Chad's face, opting to ignore his traveling companion to watch stars and planets stretch angrily in hyperspace. The alien transport was small and cramped for someone like him. It was never meant to hold teenagers, but somehow they managed. You'd think that the Galactic Kids Next Door would be happier with extra leg room, but no. Everything was compact. It made him feel even more adult, more out-of-place with the very organization he fought tooth and nail for.

"Chad!"

"What. Do. You.  _Want_?" Chad growled, turning in his seat to finally face the annoyance that was Nigel Uno. Numbuh Infinity was heavily snoring somewhere in the back, far too used to this kind of travel and too much out of it to wake up and simmer the two operatives down. It was weird staring down the boy now that he was minus his trademark sunglasses.

"Can I ask you a favor?" Nigel repeated. His edgy voice was near gone, due to the tearful goodbye of his best friends and his family back on Earth. He knew he would not be returning for a long, long time.

Chad didn't know which was more unfair, he or him. Unlike Uno, who obviously had close ties to many people back on Earth, Chad had burned all of his bridges for this. He didn't care for his insane parents, his school, his friends. His reputation in the KND, which was the only thing that had mattered to him at the time, he tarnished for the chance that Nigel Uno had stolen from him.

It had to be Uno. Always Uno.

He was bitter. He needed to be bitter. Uno had unwittingly taken everything from him. What's another request? Another way to kick the two-faced Chad Dickson, right? Chad slid a bit in his seat, defeated. "Go ahead, Uno. Want me to polish your shoes? Shine that bald head of yours? I'll bite. You've taken everything else of me, why not what's left of my dignity too?"

Nigel sighed. "I didn't ask for this, Chad."

"Whatever." A teen response, but oddly right.

"I just," Nigel twiddled his thumbs, looking very embarrassed. This stirred Chad's attention a bit. "I won't be here to do it. I just want you to watch over someone for me-until I return, you know?"

Many scenarios played in his head. Sector V most likely. But Cree's sister had been leader of the group before. She could do it again. "KND will already-"

"-it's not the guys I'm worried about," Nigel immediately shot down. "It's a personal thing."

Chad couldn't help but sneer. "Let me guess. Want me to feed your dog? Read to your grandma at the old folk's home? Fold your underwear?" And then he realized the implication of this 'personal thing'. Or was it the way Nigel suddenly blushed? "Ugh, personal right? Don't tell me you want me to take your girlfriend to the dance or something. I want nothing to do with what's-her-face." Nigel had a girlfriend, right? That red-head girl. The Teen Ninjas had a file on her.

Nigel had the decency to roll his eyes. "No. Not Lizzie. She-" He faltered for a moment and glared at the seat in front of him. That piqued Chad's attention even more.

"Girl trouble at such a young age, Uno? I don't know whether to be pleased or grossed out." Chad had his own share of dancing around the cheerleaders back at Hendry, but it was always for the sake of appearances. The Teen Ninjas considered having a girlfriend a great honor. The more people were interested in you, the less of a loser you were.

"I need you to take care of Numbuh 362." It was short and to the point that Chad had to double take in case he was just hearing things.

"What?"

"I'll be back, y'know." Nigel continued staring at the adjacent seat, blushing furiously. "Back to Earth. One day. She...she's always been important to me. Always there for me. Don't let...don't let her go to the other side, Chad. I know the Teen Ninjas want her when her decommissioning comes. Don't let them take her."

Chad's brow furrowed in confusion. "Rachel?" The last person he would ever hear from Uno. He knew they were comrades, but intel had never said anything about them... "Are you guys together?"

Nigel seemed to blush even brighter. "No, but...I know that she...I never said goodbye. This is my goodbye to her. If you, can you do this? That's all I ask from you."

* * *

**One Year Later  
**

"Strike One-Oh-Nine, do you read me? Strike One-Oh-Nine!"

A dark-skinned young woman no older than sixteen lounged against the pilot's seat, wondering if her new nails clashed with her dark samurai armor. The radio continued to cackle, but she was much too preoccupied with her nails to care. Her companion let out a low sigh and reached over to flip the switch.

"This is Strike One-Oh-Nine. What's your damage?"

Cree let out a languid smirk, checking her nails one more time before fitting gloves over them. Another AWOL, another member for the Teen Ninjas. The radio answered. "We've got two AWOL KND operatives attempting to leave Moonbase dock number twelve. Give 'em a hand will you?"

"Roger that." Her companion responded curtly before shutting off communication. They can hear the leftover feed asking who 'Roger' was.

"Newbs." Cree sneered at the radio and put their shuttle into first gear. "They seem to get stupider every year."

"Just get me down on dock twelve in one piece. Father will kill you if you pull another stunt like last time." Her companion began to lock his dark armor into place. Cree glanced sideways to get an eyeful of his strong profile.

Knowing her well enough, her companion snorted at her, straightening his breastplate. "Like what you see, Cree?" She smiled hungrily at him.

"Yes  _sir._ " He wondered if Maurice was keen to know that Cree was a man-eater. He'd rather not stoke any unnecessary fires lest Father got suspicious. It made for good TND intel however, so he put it away for future reference. Or blackmail.

They were nearing dock twelve where they saw two slightly older operatives being blockaded by off-duty kitchen operatives. So long as the Decommissioning Squad hadn't arrived yet, they can go in quick and clean.

"Don't forget the Supreme Commander." Cree purred as she opened the shuttle doors above the group. The young operatives gawked in alarm at their arrival. "I hear she's turning thirteen today. You might wanna hit her up with some extra retirement options before she takes the walk of shame."

Her companion flipped off of the shuttle, putting himself between the KND and the newly teen operatives. "No child left behind, twerps!" He sneered at the defiant kids. "It's the law. Allow me to show you what the law does to rule breakers!" He snapped up a giant black ruler. Much of the kids immediately tumbled backwards at the sight.

"Now who's first?"

* * *

Tears had been shed already, but Rachel wanted to shed more. Her birthday had come and now she had to do what so many others before her had to do.

"Ye...ye understand the KND tradition of...decommission." Fanny recited with great difficulty. It was the same speech since the dawn of time and it would continue to be said after she was long gone as well. But this was harder to say, as hard it was when they had to let Patton go just a few months ago, if not more. She was losing her best friend.  _Forever._ "Think of this as not a goodbye, but as a...uh...a new beginning. Ye have upheld yer greatest duty as our Supreme Leader and while others shall take yer place, yer numbuh will never be forgotten, and while ye forget yer greatness, the Kids Next Door will never forget."

"Never forget!" Said a chorus of the Decommissioning Squad, saluting their Supreme Leader. A hand reached over and tapped Rachel on the shoulder, causing her to turn. Rachel smiled. "Hello Abby."

The dark-skinned twelve-year-old lowered her sunglasses, a memento from a friend long gone from this world. "Numbuh 5 gonna miss you, Numbuh 362. We all are."

Her smile turned fond, almost wistful. But she wasn't going to run like the others. She would finish what was necessary of her. "This is what I want, Numbuh 5. I'm not leaving with a heavy heart. I'm leaving the Kids Next Door into capable hands. I know I am. Zero speed, Supreme Leader."

Abby lowered her head as Rachel turned away, the doors to the Decommissioning Chamber finally opening up to her. This was it. This was the end. Another hand grabbed her own before she could even take a step forward. Fanny stared at her, almost fighting something internally with herself.

"I...you 'ave been a good friend to me." Fanny's bottom lip began to quiver, eyes shining red with tears. "The best leaduh we ever 'ad. I'mma gonna follow ye one day. I swear." The former Supreme Commander tried to smile again, squeezing Fanny's hand. Despite her flaws, the redhead had always been devoted to her duty. She couldn't have asked for a better second-in-command.

"Keep everyone safe until then, Fanny. Until the end." Fanny sniffed, finally composing herself to a determined state of mind at her words. She nodded. "Til the end, lass."

Rachel reluctantly pulled her hand away, the weight of it all suddenly hitting her. She was going to lose everything. Her friends, her ideals, herself. Despite the turmoil, she forced herself into command posture, her chin held up for the audience of operatives before her. "KIDS NEXT DOOR RULES!"

"KIDS NEXT DOOR RULES!" Everyone in attendance shouted back, standing in attention in respect as their former Commander took the long walk into the Chamber.

And then the atmosphere changed. A heavy siren bellowed in warning and the lights flickered red. Someone was escaping their decommissioning. No, three blares of the siren. Intruders.

They all looked to Rachel for guidance, but she was no longer their leader. She shook her head. "I need to finish my decommissioning. I can't waste time." Else, she'd waste it forever. She regarded Abby with a stern eye. "Looks like you've got a job to do, Supreme Leader!"

Abby nodded and bellowed her orders. "Numbuh 86, Numbuh 5 want all docks under immediate shutdown, no ifs, ands, or buts! Numbuh 5 wants most of the Decommissioning Squad on all subdecks! The rest will escort Numbuh 362 and make sure she's successfully decommissioned!"

"YES SIR!"

As Rachel was led away by security, another operative bumbled on deck, handing Numbuh 5 the emergency report. "We've got Teen Ninjas on decks twelve, eight, and eleventy, sir! Two decommissioned operatives have already been captured by them!"

Numbuh 5 watched the video feed of the teenagers running amok on Rach- _her_  Moonbase. One effortlessly taking down a dozen operatives at once. "Cree..." She growled at the familiar profile. "Numbuh 5'll handle her personally."

"Not permissible, Commander!" Numbuh 86 pulled out her weapon, summoning guards over. "The Supreme Leadah must be protected durin' invasions!"

"Numbuh 5 ain't gonna sit around while Moonbase is under attack!"

* * *

The process ran backwards when you were decommissioned. Rachel had bitterly thought of that as she was strapped to the machine with a plunger in her face. Her walk to the Chamber in her mind had gone backwards, the long nights just simply working, the people she had met the past year. Every single name she had meticulously learned on her Command Deck was wiping themselves way. Familiar faces slowly became unfamiliar and halfway through the procedure, she realized with a stunning horror that she forgot why the red-head who prevailed most of what was left of her memories was so important to her, or the name of her favorite drill sergeant.

The things that had something to do with KND, like her brother, remained. She couldn't forget him obviously, but she easily forgot how proficient he was at leading a team, or how competent he was at assembling the G.L.U.M.B. together, doing so at a base breaking record. She didn't even know what a G.L.U.M.B. was. Or the Moonbase's emergency thrusters pass code. Or the names of her fellow sector mates once upon a time.

She forgot how to move silently in the dark, gathering intel over extended recess saboteurs in the school office. She forgot the training instilled in her and the laws of KND that she had followed until the end. And when she thought she couldn't remember her own name, the process continued, slowly stealing away the best years of her childhood until she couldn't remember anything but home and school.

It was goodbye to the person she once was. The leader that everyone could count on. So what would be left after everything is gone? Everything she loved was within her former squad, the people she worked with on the Bridge. Who will walk out of the Chamber, confused and unsure of her place? Those were her last thoughts before those too were taken away.

They were the same thoughts that plagued the intruder as he watched the process from the shadows. He knew Rachel once upon a time, when she worked under him during his years in the KND. She was built on the ground that kids before her had walked for years, becoming the person she was due to the training instilled with her. Like him, she had found a place with kids from all over the world. It was home. A real home.

It was unfortunate that he was  _late._  Father would most likely be angry at him for missing the chance to steal another former Supreme Leader before her greatest assets were erased completely. But the intruder answered to someone higher than Father. Much higher.

Her brother was there, providing the familiarity and comfort she would need once she was finished and led home, where she would live her life as a normal teenager. Her brother watched the procedure with a twisted look on his face, as if pained. After growing up with an operative he had aspired to be like, there was no doubt in the intruder's mind that Harvey would be conflicted, wondering what kind of person would be left now that Rachel's mind had been successfully purged of anything KND. Anything of her  _real_  self.

The intruder emerged from the shadows, startling the officers in attendance as he raised his giant ruler and hurled it high into the large machinery overhead, causing the entire structure to crash down onto them. As smoke rose up in the permanent blockade between Harvey's crew and the decommissioning machines, the intruder moved quickly, tearing the plunger away as it finished its intended use.

Rachel coughed from the smoke, looking up at an unfamiliar young man in...was that black samurai gear. "I'm dreaming," She said meekly at him. "What on Earth...?"

He couldn't help it. He gave her a lascivious grin. "Keep dreaming, sweetie." Time seemed to stand still for a moment. The former Commander blinking at him as if she knew him once. Her expression turned sour as he unhooked her from the chair and pulled her up.

"Let go of me!" She screamed, squirming against her assailant. The intruder found it pathetic. Her KND training would have already given him a black eye and a sore jaw. But she no longer had that training. She was as defenseless as any other thirteen year old girl.

"Rachel!" A voice squeaked out from beyond the rubble. Rachel recognized that voice. "Harvey?! Where are you?!" But the intruder had no intention to hand her over to her brother, who was barking out orders to clear the rubble. He had a job to do.

As the former Supreme Leader twisted in his arms, he grunted and fished around for something to knock her out, somewhat surprised that she was putting up a fight. Most decommissioned operatives ended up too scared and confused to do anything. With a sound of triumph, he sprayed a noxious fume at her face, enough to knock out the most staunch adult. Eventually her flailing ceased and he carried her unconscious body towards the emergency exit.

* * *

If there was anything remotely competent about Cree aside from how effective her fighting style was, it was her punctuality. As soon as the intruder stepped into the threshold of emergency dock six, Cree had arrived with the shuttle. Securing the former Supreme Leader in his arms, he jumped off the platform and landed inside with practiced ease. Cree beamed at the care package.

"She's out cold! Must've caught her before the decommissioning. Father's gonna be pleased!" She grinned in triumph and blasted them out of Moonbase. As her companion strapped their new captive securely into a seat, he took his own beside the older girl and tossed his helmet aside.

"When you're done playing chicken with the twerps, drop me off on site thirty-two." He ordered, tugging the straps of his armor off as the elder of the two took out two opposing shuttles. Cree scared off three more KND fighter shuttles before she looked incredulously at him. "Are you nuts?! Father wants her delivered personally-"

"Do as I say!" He growled, which had effectively shut up the wild Teen Ninja. But she continued to glare at him and then focus back on the task at hand.

"Fine!" She spat back out. "But it's not  _my_  head on a pike when Father finds out, Dickson!" Old habits died hard. Despite being his superior, sometimes Cree felt like Chad remained the Supreme Leader. This was one of those moments.

Chad tossed his shoulder guards off and made himself more comfortable, pleased with the successful mission. With two new operatives, he doubted that Father would care for a decommissioned ex-Supreme Leader anyways. He looked over his shoulder. Rachel was strapped in and still unconscious. And when she wakes up, she'll be...well, he wasn't sure what she'll be now.

But she wouldn't be Numbuh 362. She was gone forever.

He turned back and stared ahead, a long forgotten anger bubbling up within him. And for the life of him, he didn't know if it was because of the inhumane practice of decommissioning, or that everything he did so far for Uno's stupid request would just be in pointless vain.

How could he still be in love with the girl if the things that he fell in love with didn't exist anymore?


	3. Year One - Rebirth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heroine starts anew with a sour knight at her beck and call. Civil war awaits the weary.

**Year One**  - Rebirth

Rachel woke up to the sounds of a high-pitched power drill and strange clipping noises. Harvey stood over her, running some sort of weird and oddly put together scanner over her head. She clapped a hand over her eyes, realizing that all the windows were open, sunlight pouring in her usually closed off room. "Harvey! What are you doing?!"

"You remember me?! Good! I thought those stupid teenagers did something weird to your head!" Her little brother growled, messing with the knobs of his 'gadget'. "Now hold still! Numbuh H2O said it'll only hurt a bit-"

She grabbed the gadget, realizing that it looked horribly familiar. "Is that...did you take apart mom's Chantau Leyran hair dryer?"

Harvey gulped. "Uh...no?"

Rachel's eyes narrowed. "You are so busted, Harvey. I'm telling!" But Harvey fell backwards and scrambled away before she could toss a pillow at him. "Stupid teen!" He shouted over his shoulder as he dodged a stuffed animal. "I knew you were going to end up like them! I'm gonna be a kid forever!"

She paused, her Rainbow Monkey doll poised over her head. "I'm not a-!" What in the world was Harvey blowing his gasket about? Her gaze turned to the calendar near her dresser. Her birthday was yesterday. That's right. She was thirteen now. Realizing that she was ready to pelt her beloved stuffed animal at her brother, she immediately hugged it. "I'm so sorry, Workaholic Rainbow Monkey! I didn't know what I was thinking!"

"Aren't you a little too old to be playing with stuffed animals, Ms. McKenzie?" An unfamiliar voice and an unfamiliar body walked through the open door and into her room. She can still hear her brother still screaming weird things down the hall. It was a boy. An older boy. In her room. He flashed her a charming grin that would have made many girls melt. But she didn't see the charm. She saw ulterior motives.

She tossed her Rainbow Monkey at his face and screamed.

* * *

"This is Chad Dickson, pet," Mr. McKenzie said with a worried smile, pouring himself some coffee. "He and his uncle are doing security detail for the family until the Carson case has been dealt with."

Rachel was situated in the family room, calming her frazzled nerves after her father barged in her room when she screamed and, like Chad, was pelted with all sorts of items until he could calm her down long enough to say that the strange boy in her room was welcome to their home.

Despite her father's explanation, she spent the time sipping her tea while casting suspicious glares at Chad, who didn't help the atmosphere much with his own impassive stare. Harvey was nowhere to be found as usual. Where he disappeared off to, she didn't know. It was worrying, but her father didn't seem to mind. Their mother, well, if she woke up in the morning it was considered a miracle.

"Carson...case?" For some reason, her mind was still fuzzy, like she forgot what she ate yesterday. But saying it out loud seemed to help. The memories were coming back to her like out of a thick haze. "Right...that guy who off-shored stocks until that bank went bankrupt."

Her father beamed at her and patted Chad on the arm. She didn't like that her father was friendly with this guy. "See? Sharp as a knife, mind you! She's become quite the prodigy at the Academy. You'll have no trouble at all watching her." Rachel frowned at this. She wasn't a kid anymore so why was she still being treated like one?

"You're really putting your thirteen year old daughter, mind you,  _daughter,_  in the hands of an older boy dad?" She tried to dissuade this nonsense. She didn't need a chaperone, especially one so cruel looking. His whole posture just screamed bad news.

That seemed to give her father pause, the swirling of his coffee slowing down as he contemplated this. "You  _are_  thirteen now, Rachel. I know this may seem weird, but you're not like other girls your age. You're resourceful, responsible, and very mature. Frankly, I'm more worried for your mother than for you. Now, Mr. Dickson has a very impressive resume. He's in the honor's society, has plenty of extracurricular activities, has a job..."

"I'm also quarterback of the junior varsity football team." Chad added with a grin. Rachel sniffed in disdain, something she's seen her mother do when her father suggested cheaper masonry for the fireplace.

"That too," Her father nodded. "And he's done chaperone detail before. In fact, I just got off the phone this morning with his previous clients. They all had glowing reviews with his professionalism. You know Benedict Wigglestein? The one with those very well-behaved children? Mr. Dickson came highly recommended by him. Actually, he was a bit reluctant to let him go..." A beeping sound interrupted their conversation. Raising a finger to her, he pulled out his cellphone and looked at his contact.

"Ah, it's Mr. Mathers. This is important." He got up, leaving his untouched coffee behind. "I'll take this in my office. Please dear, be cordial with Mr. Dickson? It's only temporary." Rachel smiled at her father, one so sugary sweet even Chad could call fake a mile away. And as soon as Mr. McKenzie went out of earshot, her smile turned into a suspicious frown.

"Mr. Dickson."

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Ms. McKenzie."

Was she always this intense with her suspicions? Chad couldn't really remember. His interaction with her back in the KND was fleeting, almost non-existent. They were much too busy running Moonbase to do anything remotely friendly together back then. But here she was, still wearing a Rainbow Monkey shirt and the off-shoot Rainbow Puppy shorts, which would make any teenage girl cry with embarrassment of wearing. Instead she looked even more intimidating. He half wondered if the decommissioning had worked at all.

She still looked like Numbuh 362. And worse, she still acted like the Supreme Leader of the Kids Next Door.

And then she started to blush. Badly. "I'm on to you, bucko! What kind of  _decent and professional honor student_  goes into a girl's bedroom without her permission?"

"It's my job?" He mocked, his tone dripping in sarcasm. "Your door was open. And you were  _yelling._  In case you forgot that your dad's got a mobster as an enemy. Y'know, the  _reason_ I'm here in the first place?"

Rachel glared at him. "Well don't do it again! What if I was indecent?!"

Chad snorted, finally seeing her as the teenager she was. "Please, don't flatter yourself. I like my girls a bit more shapely. I'm not interested in pears."

That did it. The former Supreme Leader wrapped her arms around herself, insulted. Her expression turned murderous. "I am NOT a pear!"

"Yes you are."

"Am not!"

"Those Rainbow Puppy shorts make you look very pear-like. Super pear." He continued to tease. It was somewhat cathartic to see someone like her fluster and complain like she was doing now. And the way she bunched herself up in a futile attempt to keep him from looking at her? Real cute. He could admit that.

Rachel seethed angrily at her new 'bodyguard'. He was rude, mean, and downright annoying. Her father couldn't have chosen a worse candidate for her. She squeezed her knees on the couch, attempting to keep him from insulting her body further. She just turned thirteen! What did he want from her? Slowly, she disentangled herself, standing up straight and proud, yet she mocked defeat. "You know what? You're so right. These clothes don't flatter me at all, don't they?"

"Rainbow Monkey clothes? You'll be laughed out of high school before you could say hello." He said, a bit slower than usual. Her demeanor had changed. That usually triggered alarms in his head when an enemy did that.

She feigned innocent, swinging her hips back and forth as if nervous. "Well, Mr. Bodyguard. I guess we'll have to remedy that, yeah? I'll have to have a new set of wardrobe and everything. I am a  _teen_  after all."

He frowned. "Yeah, I guess you do..."

"You guess  _we_  do." She corrected with an impish grin. "Come, bodyguard. We shall go on a shopping spree!" With a toying wave of her hand that would have made her snobbish mother cry with pride she made a show of sashaying her way out of the sitting room, calling on the butler.

Oh no. Chad instantly deflated at the order. Clothes shopping?! She was good. She was  _very_  good. He'll give her that. And as he dutifully followed her to the limo waiting outside, he knew that while she won the battle, the war had only just begun.

* * *

"The battle is lost, but the war has only begun." Numbuh Infinity said to the large screen. He adjusted his sunglasses. "It is a very good thing that we've managed to secure Numbuh 1 into your service. I take it that he's fitting in well into your ranks?"

The shadowed figure answered, the deep mechanical voice would have brought a shiver to any child in its midst. But Infinity was much too used to it, much too  _old._  "Numbuh 1 has been assigned to a new sector. You have chosen well, Infinity. He is loyal. He is resourceful. He is  _perfect._  But we must come back again. We need more recruits should the tide of battle turn in our favor."

Infinity looked down for a moment before responding. "There is still Numbuh 274. He is still active and waiting for this chance to come again."

"But he has shown symptoms of the disease, has he not? He is a  _teenager._ "

"He is loyal. He is willing to destroy anything in his path to get what he wants. He wants what Numbuh 1 has. He is ruthless. It would be preferable to have him on our side than on the other, yes?" Infinity deigned to add Numbuh 274's bitterness with the GKND over the whole thing. But in his experience, war was not picky. They couldn't afford to comb through all the potentials and pick the best now.

Not when they were losing.

There was a moment of silence before the shadowed figure in the screen answered. "Reevaluate Numbuh 274 for potential recruitment. We will return in ten Earth years. We will expect more recruits than last time. The Council has spoken."

Infinity lowered his head again, this time in respect as communications were cut off from the GKND. They didn't understand,  _couldn't_  understand Earth politics. More kids were escaping decommissioning every day, bolstering the teen's numbers. If something is not done to the recommissioned teens before they reached adulthood, then the KND is in trouble. Dire trouble.

He moved into his office, calling for a connection to Moonbase. If Numbuh 5 could not stop this, he hoped that by the time the GKND arrives, Earth had not already fallen due to civil war.


	4. Year One - Coincidence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neutrality is a struggle, the new Leader struggles with secrets and a fight ensues.

**Year One**  - Coincidence

Chad liked malls. He didn't love it as much as the other teens did, but he liked it all the same. It was great for intel and perfect for gaining ground in your preferred teen clique. Anything that brought him closer to the top and closer to working directly under Father.

Rachel, however, was utterly amazed at the large clusters of shops and food courts. Being on the richer side of the fence, the closest she came to visiting a public mall was the giant Nordstrom mall in San Francisco. But even that was fancier and expensive.

Most of the shoppers were dominantly teens with the occasional child being dragged along by a parent. No doubt that this was another aspect of her new life as a teenager that she needed to remember and understand. This was a lot of information to take in, so she kept exceptionally close to her new bodyguard. So close in fact that Chad couldn't help but poke fun at.

"Warming up to me, are you?"

"Shut up."

Clothing stores were easy to find, obviously. The only problem was he didn't know Rachel's particular preference for clothing. He assumed she was used to the expensive stuff. The most expensive store he could think of was Banana Republic. Was she even aware of the brand? He asked when he found her staring with great trepidation at a giant Sears store.

"Banana Republic? I don't know." She said a bit nervously. The way she was tugging at her shirt was starting to grate on his nerves. "The nanny always bought my clothes."

Chad rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You're too old for a nanny now-" "I know!" She snapped back, feeling Chad's frustration rub off on her. "If you're so annoyed, just stay here and do...whatever jerky boys do! I'll find my way around just fine, thank you!"

"Fat chance." He scoffed, closing down the argument. "I could probably turn my back for two seconds and you'd be gone and lost somewhere."

Was it possible to hate someone after knowing him for more than an hour? Because Chad Dickson was making it a very viable possibility for her. She growled at him and opened her mouth to deliver a scathing insult when someone started shouting Chad's name.

"Chad! Hey Chad!" They both turned. Rachel's surprised expression was different from Chad's, who looked like he just swallowed a lemon. The owner of the voice approached them with an entourage of girls.

Chad took a deep breath, counting away the seconds of his growing annoyance as he regarded Cree. "Figures I'd see you here, Cree." Cree smiled, brushing away a stray dreadlock from her face.

"Business as usual, then?" She raised an eyebrow at him, but as her gaze moved to Rachel, her expression turned serious. And adding further to Rachel's confusion, Cree's expression changed back to coy again. "Cute. Taking your new girlfriend out, Chad? Sydney's going to be so mad when I put this on MySpace!"

"She's not my girlfriend." Chad said, now very annoyed. Rachel simply rolled her eyes and quietly tottered off to look at stores while her bodyguard was preoccupied. If Chad wanted to talk to his friends, she wasn't going to stop him. She had clothes to try on.

"Whatever you say," Cree laughed. Giggles soon followed down the group. When Rachel exited, she dropped all pretenses. "What on Earth is wrong with you?! And why are you with her? No-scratch that,  _why haven't you inducted her to the cause yet_?!"

Chad rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "She's gone, Cree. Decommissioned." Cree's eyes widened before it turned murderous.

"I thought you said she WASN'T decommissioned!"

Now he was less annoyed and more amused. An angry Cree made a happy Chad. "I never said she wasn't decommissioned. You came up with that on your own." Speaking of... "Now will you shut up about the cause! You're going to blow our cover!" No doubt the girl was probably lobotomized from all the information. He turned and found her gone.

"Alright, make that  _more_  than two seconds." He growled to himself, looking around in panic for the girl. Cree watched him, bemused.

"Typical boys. Always losing things."

* * *

This was highly inappropriate. Rachel stared up at a gigantic spread on the Victoria Secret window. Dressed in nothing but lacy Christmas themed lingerie, the model in the poster winked devilishly at her. She grimaced, but not at the racy picture. The woman was wonderfully curved as opposed to Chad's claim that she herself was...pearish. What did that even mean?

Rachel moved away from the poster and looked at her reflection in the window, checking herself out in different angles. She didn't look or feel different. Do you automatically get a curvy body when you turned thirteen? She didn't think it was very plausible.

Thankfully, a nice lady handing out free samples inside Victoria Secret came by to ask if she needed anything and really, Rachel needed some kind of womanly talk. She was never going to get it from her mother, that was for sure.

"I...can I get a body like in that picture one day?" She asked the woman innocently, pointing at the poster.

Looking at what she was pointing at, the woman smiled and shook her head. "That's such a silly poster. You know, not all women look like that. And you're still young. You've got a lot of growing up to do still."

"You don't think I'm...pear looking?" The woman frowned at Rachel's next question.

"Where in God's name did you hear that from?"

Rachel huffed angrily at the memory. "My bo-" It'd be weird to say bodyguard, right? But the woman seemed to understand at any rate.

"You know what? Guys like that are horrible. All they care about are looks. You're best to just drop him while you have your dignity. I'm not one to preach, but you look way too young to have one!" Rachel blinked at the woman's tirade.

"Am I really too young to have one?" She didn't realize there was a kind of age limit to having a bodyguard, but the way the saleswoman seemed to go on a tangent about it, maybe she was on to something. "My father suggested him to me."

The woman looked scandalized. Maybe she should just keep her mouth shut for now. "Why in Heaven's name would your father want to set you up like that?!"

"There you are!" Both Rachel and the saleswoman turned to see Chad out of breath and looking like he was ready to spit fire. "What did I tell you?! I told you that you'd get lost, didn't I?!"

Feeling proud at his undignified state, Rachel tried to point out that she was less lost and more browsing when the saleswoman started to roll up her sleeves, gearing up for a fight. Both teens stared at her.

"Is he yours, hun?" The woman asked her, her tone dark. Rachel nodded because really, why would she lie? "Now listen here, bub!" The woman abandoned her place at the booth and poked him square in the chest. He stumbled back in surprise. "You treat her with respect! I don't know what's the deal with her father picking you or whatever, but you respect the body God has given her, got it?!"

"What the?" Chad looked back to Rachel, both mirroring expressions of confusion. "What did you tell her?!"

* * *

Chad was sporting an even more horrible demeanor now, which actually matched the bright red hand print across his cheek from when the woman smacked him for being a 'horrid boyfriend'. Rachel was forced to cling to his arm, seeing as she had lost her privileges walking on her own after her little disappearing act, but she wasn't complaining. In fact, she was feeling very amused by the whole situation.

"You know what? She was a really nice lady." She said, trying not to laugh. Chad glared at her. An angry Chad was a happy Rachel.

"Your perception of that Victoria Secret saleswoman and  _my_  perception of that Victoria Secret saleswoman are two  _very_  different perceptions," He drawled in sarcasm, moving his long legs further in distance to force the former Supreme Leader to practically jog against his arm. And you know what? He didn't like malls anymore. In fact, he  _hated_  them. The sooner they got her items, the sooner they can leave and the sooner he was graced with the miracle of never going into one ever again.

They both eventually reached one of the teen heavy stores. Realizing that Chad had every intention of being there, Rachel read the gruesome looking red font with a hint of hesitation. "Hot Topic?"

"It's not my brand." He defended for no particular reason. It's not like she knew anything about high school cliques yet. Only hipsters and Goths used Hot Topic to get their kicks, but it didn't hurt to look. Maybe her calling was to look like a goth. Now  _that_  would be hilarious to see.

Rachel wrinkled her nose at one of the store employees who was sporting piercings in places she didn't know it was possible to pierce. Her eyes widened in closer inspection, finding that he also had bright neon green hair. "It looks like a Halloween store."

That made Chad chuckle. "It does, doesn't it?" When it was obvious that she wasn't going to take the first step forward, he moved them closer to the store, only pausing when Cree and her friends emerged from the adjacent Forever 21 brand.

"Nice shirt, sweetie," Cree snickered when she took a closer inspection of Rachel's shirt. Feeling the first pangs of group mockery, Rachel hugged herself conspicuously in an attempt to hide the Rainbow Monkey logo. Chad rolled his eyes.

"Lay off her, guys. She's been barely a teen for one day." He clapped his hand against his new charge's back and pushed her closer towards Forever 21 instead. It seemed less threatening to a girl like Rachel, he believed. Despite Chad's obvious overtures to end the conversation and leave, Cree kept following them, no doubt displeased that her fellow Teen Ninja comrade was playing bodyguard to a now useless decommissioned operative.

"You're right, Chad. You're always right," Cree sweetly smiled as she moved to get a closer look at Rachel. Chad narrowed his eyes at her. "Rachel, right? I'm Cree. Nice to meet you." She offered her hand to the blond girl. Rachel took a double take at Chad's strained expression before taking her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Cree."

"And so polite. Guys love nice girls, don't they Chad?" Cree purred, giving him an impish glance before pulling Rachel along through Forever 21's doors. Chad didn't like this. Not one bit. "But guys are horrible at shopping. Trust me, he'll put you in some ugly scarf out of spite. Now us? We girls gotta stick together. We'll set you up with some nice threads. What do you think, Rachel?"

"Um..." She looked back at Chad for some sort of confirmation. He didn't seem so amenable to the idea. But Cree was a nice looking girl and it sounded like she knew a lot of things about teen fashion. "Yeah, okay. Thanks!"

* * *

Numbuh 5 slipped silently from kiosk to kiosk, watching her sister for any suspicious activity. Typically she wasn't very interested in Cree's job in the Teen Ninjas. Eventually she'll get caught and successfully decommissioned. But there was no way Abby could take her on her own, especially when the older girl was typically protected by those ninny bodyguards she called 'girlfriends'.

But after what happened to Numbuh 362, she had to know why. Cree was there during yesterday's invasion on Moonbase. And according to 363, Rachel had seemed successfully decommissioned, so Cree may have just dropped her off back home, now a lost cause to them.

That is, until she dived behind the giant fountain, finding Cree talking to...Chad?

"What  _is_  going on?" Numbuh 5 muttered to herself, sinking as low as possible to avoid detection. Chad had disappeared with Numbuh Infinity, didn't he? She had thought that, like Numbuh 1, he had disappeared forever. But there he was, acting like he had nothing to do with the GKND, probably having a nice day out with that girlfriend of his clinging to him...

She quickly rubbed her eyes, pretty sure she was just seeing things. But she knew that familiar face, only just witnessing her walk toward decommissioning just yesterday.

"Numbuh 5!" A voice whispered harshly to her right. She jumped in alarm, nearly coming nose-to-nose with Numbuh 86.

"What are you doing here, Numbuh 86?!" Abby whispered angrily. She didn't have time nor the patience to sign off another stupid stack of paperwork on her downtime. But here was the Global Tactical Officer crouched next to her by the fountain.

People walking by momentarily glanced at them then continued on. Kids just doing kids stuff. "Yer needed on the tactical bridge back on Moonbase, sir. Our new defense coördinator wants ye to sign off on his new anti-teen fence around the docks."

Abby sighed in frustration. She knew that she was going to have to forgo assignments to run Global Command, but she didn't realize how constricting it was becoming. She only had the job for one day. But after the massive invasion just as she went into office, it'd do the operatives well if she worked harder at it. How Numbuh 362 did this for years without snapping she wished she asked.

Speaking of...

She looked over the fountain again. Cree was leading Rachel into a store, either doing something innocent like trying on stuff, or something sinister. But if Fanny saw, she'd go ballistic. "Numbuh 86, stay here. Numbuh 5 gotta...get some new socks. Yeah, that's it-" But the damage had already been done. She froze, finding Numbuh 86 looking over the fountain and seeing her once best friend being led off by two big named traitors of the KND. And then her face turned purple.

"That's...an interesting shade." Numbuh 5 chuckled weakly, trying to get Numbuh 86 to calm down. "Fanny, you need to relax! Take deep breaths, I'm sure it's-"

"BATTLESTATIONS!" Fanny roared, hands over her head, her rage startled practically everyone near their vicinity. The fiery redhead jumped over the fountain, already armed to the teeth and ready to save her ex-Supreme Leader as she dashed into Forever 21.

"NUMBUH 86, WAIT!  _THAT'S AN ORDER_!" Wow, that sounded weird. Even for her.

* * *

"I don't think yellow is my color." Rachel said nervously, holding up a girly yellow blouse. Not that there was anything wrong with it. It was...nice. But she was hoping for something a little more modern. Something that said modest and didn't flaunt money like her nanny used to buy. Cree and her friends tutted and went through the more expensive racks, seeing as they discovered that the former Supreme Leader was loaded, they figured it wouldn't hurt to expand their horizons.

"What about pink?  _I'm_  wearing pink." Cree tugged on her midriff. She turned to Chad, who was nursing a headache on one of the lounge seats. "What do you think, Chad dear? You think she'd look good in fuchsia or hot pink?"

Chad rubbed his face, cheek still sore from the slap. "Leave me out of your girl stuff, will you? Put her in a potato sack for all I care."

"Hey!" Rachel frowned at him. Were all teenage boys like that? She wasn't sure. And as Cree's friend, (Tammy, she thought), handed her a couple of jeans to try on, Cree was offering Chad two different blouses much to his extreme displeasure. Rachel liked Cree. She liked to annoy Chad just as much as she did.

"Be a sport, Chad. Look, I've got boy colors to show you. Do you like...yellow green or forest green?" She held up the two blouses to his face. With a long-suffering sigh, he looked at each of them.

"They both look the same to me."

Cree rolled her eyes. "Typical boy." But that seemed to catch Rachel's attention. She moved towards them and examined the fabric herself. They were obviously different shades of green. "Can you really not notice the difference, or are you just being difficult on purpose?" She asked gently.

A bit caught off guard with Rachel's question, he took a second look at the fabrics, really not seeing any difference to them. "They're both green."

"Not even a slight deviation in shade? Seriously Chad."

"I'm serious." What he didn't understand was why the girl was suddenly pitying him all of a sudden. That got him mad. "What's wrong with you now?"

Rachel rolled her eyes when one of Cree's friends approached, tapping her friend on the shoulder. "Cree. We've got Kids Next Door operatives charging into the store!"

"Kids Next what?" Rachel asked in bewilderment because Cree looked mad and Chad...well, he seemed like he just got another bad headache. "Who's next door?!"

Chad got up from his seat and grabbed Rachel by the arm. "Come with me. Cree, you deal with them." The former Supreme Leader was very alarmed by how fast the atmosphere changed. As Chad hauled her further into the store, she saw Cree's friends seem to take both an offense and defensive position. Like they were ready to...battle.

"Is Cree a bodyguard too?" She asked him as Cree grabbed two hangers and spun them effortlessly in her hands. Chad declined to answer. The sooner he moved her somewhere where the KND couldn't see, the better.

He pushed her into the biggest dressing room he could find, ignoring the saleswoman there crying out in protest and locking them shut. She didn't understand. Was she already under attack by her father's enemy? "What's going on? Who are the Kids Next Door?!"

He answered the way he would when he was recruiting oblivious teens to their cause, too preoccupied with watching through the wooden blinds to come up with anything else. "A gang of kids. You know what a gang is right? They go and beat up anyone that doesn't give them what they want."

She gasped. "That's horrible! Do their parents know?!"

Chad shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe they just don't care. At any rate, we'll just lay low until Cree says it's safe."

* * *

Numbuh 86 kicked open the doors and immediately aimed her weapon, screaming her head off much to Numbuh 5's frustration. "ALRIGH' YE STOOPID TEENS! WHERE IS SHE?!"

"This is an  _adult_  store. Kindly leave before I kick your little behinds out myself," Cree approached them, her smile venomous. She caught a familiar face past Fanny's shoulder. "Ah, what's up,  _Supreme Leader_? Only in charge for one day and you can't even control one operative. I hope this doesn't ruin your chances next election."

Numbuh 5 stepped forward, having no choice but to aid Numbuh 86 now that their cover was blown. She watched the spinning hangers in her sister's hand with great caution. "Stop playing games, Cree! Numbuh 5 wanna know what you're planning!"

"AND WHY HAVE YE TAKEN OUR SUPREME LEADAH!"

Abby planted her hands on her hips, a bit insulted. " _I'm_  Supreme Leader, Numbuh 86." Fanny had the decency to laugh awkwardly at her outburst. "Err...yeah. Sorry sir. Old habits die-hard, ye know?"

"You know what? I think you've overstayed your welcome long enough. Don't you think, girls?" Cree purred, snapping her fingers. Before Abby and Fanny could even blink, they were surrounded on all flanks by Cree's girlfriends. "You're really  _cramping_  our style."

But Abby wasn't to be deterred, she tugged Numbuh 1's sunglasses over her eyes, giving her strength. "You think Numbuh 5 is afraid of your mooks, Cree?"

Cree examined her nails. "Honestly, little sister? No, I don't think so." But they made great distraction bait. "Ladies! Attack!"

* * *

"Are you green blind, Chad?"

"What are you going on about?"

Seeing as Chad wouldn't let them out of the dressing room anytime soon, Rachel settled herself quite nicely on the only seat in the small cubicle, trying to pass the time with...something. The loud sounds of struggling and screaming could only be so exciting for long. "The green shirts. You couldn't differentiate from them."

Chad continued looking through the wooden blinds, seeing Numbuh 5 naturally wipe the floor with Cree's minions. Wasn't she up for going undercover next year? He wasn't sure if the last intel from Maurice he got was still true. Lots of operatives change hands in a year. Some don't even make the cut despite it all.

But Rachel was doing her damned hardest to annoy him. "I'm  _not_  colorblind. I just don't care about colors." The last thing he needed was to realize that he was debilitated by color blindness. Like he needed more ammo for Infinity against his recommendation into the GKND again.

She didn't believe him. Even the most manly of men could tell they were two different shades of green. She sighed and hugged her knees, wishing they can just go home. All she wanted was to go shopping, not deal with this whatever next door nonsense. Could kids actually have gangs? Teen gangs she's heard of.  _Adult_  gangs she's heard of even more. But not kid gangs. At least, none that can actually do harm.

Why couldn't things be more mundane? Mundane was good, relaxing. "Can we put you in a colorblind test when we go home?"

"For the last time, I'm NOT colorblind!"

Rachel made a face at him. "Technically it's  _Deuteranopia._  For red-green blindness. Or, you could just be partially colorblind. Maybe you can see red really well."

Chad let out an aggravated sigh, his headache kicking in again. "I can see red. And I can see green. I just don't care." However, her vocabulary in the subject was pretty impressive. Even if her father kept going on and on about her being a prodigy. "How do you know so much about that?" There was a loud yelp and large crash outside, but he ignored them.

She smiled at him. "Dad's colorblind. He's got  _Tritanopia_. He can't see yellow or blue very well. He says that when he sees me, I have pink hair!" And then she chuckled which, oddly enough, made him quirk a bit of a smile himself. "Dad would always call me bubblegum and I got away with it pretty well when I'd accidentally have bubblegum in my hair. He couldn't tell the difference even if he tried."

She paused, as if remembering something. "You know...it's not all that bad to have deuteranopia. There are advantages to having it."

This he had to hear. "And what's that?"

"Well..." She rolled her shoulders back, obviously in thought. "If you were in the army or in a war, you can easily see through green camouflage way better than the average soldier."

* * *

Numbuh 5 forced Cree down with a clothing rack, pinning her into a stand of expensive shoes. "What are your plans, Cree?!" Cree growled and forced Abby onto her back this time. "It's. None. Of. Your. Business!"

Around them, there was carnage. Broken stands, tossed clothes, and all sorts of teen girls moaning in the rubble. While not a teen, Fanny was one of those casualties, hanging upside down on the overhead lighting fixture after a grueling battle with Cree's entourage. "Uuugh...get 'er, lass..." Fanny said meekly, swinging to and fro as the battle continued.

Kicking her older sister off, she half-wished for Sector V to be here to back her up. But now they were in new sectors or, like Hoagie, allied himself with the scientists on Moonbase. Things just change. They always do. Cree took that moment to toss her into a wall full of purses, the entire rack of them falling over the Supreme Leader.

"KNOCK IT OFF!"

That got everyone's attention. The manager was fuming at the damage and at the carnage wrought by both teens and kids alike. "All of you, get out of my store now! And I don't want to see you back here ever again!"

"What?! No! This is my favorite store!" Cree pleaded, dropping everything to appeal to the manager. "I didn't do anything! It was those stupid kids!"

"I SAID OUT."

Cree growled at Abby. "Mom and dad are going to be so mad when I tell them what you did, Abby! You and your crazy friend too!" She stomped out of the store, her friends hurriedly following after her. And as the manager yelled at both Abby and Fanny to get out, they made their hasty retreat.

"Ha! We got those teenagers good! Nyahnananananah!" Fanny jeered at the retreating teens. "Good job, sir!"

Numbuh 5, however, was not so pleased. "Suuuure and now we don't know where Chad and Numbuh 362 went off to, Numbuh 86!" Fanny cringed at the talk down. "Oh. Right. Forgot about dat." The redhead's expression turned grave. Almost sad. "Ye don't...ye don' think they've managed to convert 'er to their side, do ye?"

Honestly, Numbuh 5 wasn't so sure. Things change when you're decommissioned. Things always change.

* * *

Chad was halfway into teaching Rachel how to set up her MySpace page on his phone when the heavy sounds of battle ceased. Giving up his phone to her, he looked through the wooden blinds again, finding much of the disaster was being cleaned up by the employees. Seeing neither Cree nor Numbuh 5, he gently flicked Rachel on the forehead, getting her attention.

"Looks like it's over. Let's go while we have the chance."

She made a big deal out of rubbing her forehead from his flick, pouting. "But I didn't find anything to wear." This was a horrible waste of time if they were going to leave the mall without fulfilling their objective. Chad seemed to feel the same. "We'll go to another store then. Quietly."

He opened the door, finding the manager on the other side of it, arms folded and tapping her foot in irritation. "It's not what it looks like." Chad blurted automatically. Rachel was too busy trying to remember all the television shows she liked that didn't seem babyish for her new page to pay attention.

The manager continued to stare in disapproval, causing Chad to roll his eyes and pull his charge with him and out of the store. "Grow up, will you?"

* * *

Three hours later, not even a sleek multipurpose limo could quell his frazzled nerves. And as Rachel used his phone again to contact her father and excitedly ask for a cellphone of her own, Chad could only look at the sky from the open sunroof and ask...why? Why him? Why Uno?

"Hey Chad, can you help me upload wallpaper to my page?" She handed the phone over, very excited now that her friends at the Academy had gone and friended her on MySpace. It was much more fun than just talking on the phone. "It's like your own cyber room where everyone can see! It's really...really..." She tried to find the appropriate word.

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Cool?"

"Yes! Cool! Awesome word!" Rachel nodded. "And right too. Just show me once please?! I'll remember the next time!"

Shrugging, he began searching for wallpapers. There were a lot more than what he found the first time he was on. "What are you looking for in particular? Like a theme, or..."

"Stars. Like the night sky. A moon would be nice too." Rachel sat back in her seat, looking up at the twilight from the sunroof. "Or space where you can see Earth and it's like a pretty blue jewel." She mistook Chad's mystified expression for one of disbelief. "I know it sounds weird, but sometimes I dream that I'm in space, looking at Earth. Silly right?"

He went back to his phone, trying his hardest not to look at her. For some reason, he felt like he would break some sort of masquerade if she knew, if one day she somehow understood her dreams. "No. It's not silly. Not at all."


	5. Year One - Renegade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perils await those who don't pay attention. Strangers with unfriendly faces, a memory possibly retained, and a dark haze over good begins.

**Year One**  - Renegade

Sydney only lasted a couple of weeks. Chad liked them fast and dangerous, smug when they squealed with delight as he rolled up in his new bike. Sure he only had a training permit, but it wasn't like they asked when he offered them rides. It was a clunker, something that he actually earned by working his butt off both in whatever random take out place offered part-time jobs. Sometimes Father was actually generous with his pay, but it was rare. Why anyone would bother working for him was a mystery.

He liked flaunting his hard-earned money at Rachel's face, something she severely disliked. "I'll work hard too when I'm old enough!" She huffed and puffed and tossed an expensive IKEA cushion at him. "Congrats on your well-earned scrap heap, now leave me alone!"

It worked. That was all that mattered. And really, it's not like he hadn't modified it according to Teen Ninja specs. Off duty it was a plain old bike. But on duty? It was a monster on two wheels. His new girl Roxy practically hung from him when he showed her the glitz and glamor before riding her to school on it at one point. It was really too bad Rachel had to be decommissioned. He would have really loved flaunting the 'on duty' version instead of the off one.

Roxy, however, wasn't like Sydney. While Sydney was just as much as a spitfire, she was much more keen on school and socializing-typical teen schtick. Roxy was an up and coming lieutenant in the Teen Ninjas' ranks, well-known for her vicious nature whenever she did battle with KND operatives.

He picked her up the quickest chance he got. Like Maurice, he had been tasked to protect KND operatives, keeping the teens' most volatile members sated and less aggressive. And like Cree to Maurice, Roxy was like putty in his hands. Keeping her busy kept her from actively going after anyone and she was much too happy to spend time with her boyfriend than deal in petty politics.

But she was turning into more trouble than she was worth.

To continue the radical difference between her and Sydney, Roxy was extremely demanding, wanting to make sure that he was by her side at every possible opportunity. While that served an easy task when it came to conflict with the KND, it slowly began to overlap. Her demands tended to conflict with important things not on the KND menu. Like his part-time job and football practice.

It even came to the point where it was overlapping with his job as Rachel's bodyguard. With heavy consequences. Three out of five times he was unable to pick her up from school. She had an annoying way of counting them. While a bit guilty, his somewhat lukewarm relationship with her reached an all time low when she walked home from school in the rain and then was bedridden with the flu the next day. She hadn't exactly forgiven him for that and, to put it frankly, he hadn't exactly forgiven himself either.

Numbuh Infinity had no clue how hard it was for him to lead a double, no  _triple_  life. But he was a man who followed through to the end, so when she was finally healthy and out of bed, he offered her a ride to and from school. For a month.

"I'm not falling for your empty promises, Dickson." She glared at him- _-really_  glared at him. During her time recovering from the flu, she refused to talk to him. Staunchly believing that promises should always be kept, she found with great displeasure that Chad had a bad track record for keeping any. You'd think that knowing the guy for a few months now would chip away at that heavy brick wall between them but hardly anything had changed. They still insulted each other, still tried to rile the other one up. And, quite frankly, she was near the end of her tolerance of him.

He blocked her way when she tried to maneuver around the kitchen counter. "Seriously. It's been a busy month. I'm trying to get my priorities sorted out, okay? Accept my peace-offering so we can do this professionally." Because really, her not even acknowledging his existence hampered his duty a lot. She stuck a gigantic wall of ice along that brick wall between them, making it practically impossible to get anything in edgewise. "You wanted to be a lawyer, right? I'm appealing here. Compromise. Communication. The whole shebang. I want to make it up to you."

That seemed to get her attention. He was suddenly caught off guard when her big brown eyes stared, scrutinizing him. Maybe she had an ingenious way to detect a lie by looking at him, he didn't know. He stared back, trying to look as determined as possible until rock music started blaring in his pocket.

It broke whatever spell they seemed to be trying to conjure with their staring contest and he fished his phone from his pocket. He didn't need to read the caller ID to know who's ringtone that belonged to. "Give me a sec, would you?" Turning away, he slipped off into the main hallway.

* * *

Rachel's new hangout spot was halfway up the stairs. She learned it from Harvey when he dangled off the railing to eavesdrop on every conversation that happened in the hallway. He was really good at that these days. She plopped herself on a stair and relaxed, weighing the benefits of having Chad Dickson squirm in complete guilt for being a jerk to her. Maybe not a jerk on purpose with the storm incident, but he was still a jerk. The mature side of her appealed to his sense of justice. At least he was trying to make it up to her for it.

She kicked her heel against the stair, having a staring contest with her new sneakers as Chad's voice filtered through the hallway. She could only hear a few sentences. The echo could only go so far after all. Tempted, she looked through the railing, seeing Chad continue in an animated conversation with his phone before shutting it and practically sinking against the wall in exhaustion. He looked very tired.

He wasn't exactly like most boys. He had two jobs and plenty of school things to do. To top it off, he was a teen trying to play adult taking care of another teen. That didn't seem like a cakewalk to her. She hugged her knees, placing her chin on them and started to think. Maybe she could let him slide. Just once.

When he found her, she was still reflecting on her actions, having to snap his fingers to get her attention. "Hey, stop contemplating your navel."

Rachel slid her cheek against her knees this time, feeling sheepish. "I accept your apology."

"That was quick." He couldn't help but sneer. Force of habit. It didn't seem to faze her though. "Why the one-eighty though?"

"Just because."

He didn't like such a cryptic answer. "You don't do things 'just because'. You usually have a bar graph and everything before you decide on what to eat for breakfast."

"Stuff it before I change my mind, Dickson." Her usual glare made especially for him was a comfort. Everything got all weird when it looked like she was starting to pity him. He didn't need her charity before or after decommissioning. "Look, just forget everything. Start over. I know Sydney was calling you, so don't blow her off. It'd be bad on your record to let any more people down."

"Roxy."

"What?"

"Sydney and I aren't dating anymore." Chad clarified, a bit impressed she remembered his first girlfriend at all. She only heard the name from Cree once and that was months ago.

"Oh." She shrugged. "Roxy then. Go on, it's your day off, isn't it? I'll have you double down on your hours on Monday." It was interesting how relaxed he seemed to become after she put him on leave. She wasn't that much of a pain in the butt, was she?

Chad sighed, folding his arms. "Alright, I'll bite. Why are you so nice to me now?" It was like that giant wall of ice between them was steadily melting away. He'd rather have an explanation of why than not have it melt at all.

Of course, the only thing going through her mind was that Chad Dickson was a paranoid moron and he sure loved to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Would you rather I was  _not_  nice?" She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Now get going. Skidaddle.  _Vanish."_

Now he was  _really_  suspicious. "I'm thinking some ulterior motive is going on, McKenzie. Why are you suddenly so interested in me leaving so quickly?"

That seemed to be the wrong response. He watched with both trepidation and amusement as her eyes darkened and her lips were pressed into a thin line. He took a step back as she stood up, suddenly a shadow of the former leader of the Kids Next Door. "Why is it that you always think someone's out to get you, Dickson? Maybe I don't have an ulterior motive! Maybe I just think you've worked hard enough and need a break. Is that really too simple for you to understand?! Geez!" Stomping on her heel, she ran upstairs.

He let out a small startle when he heard her bedroom door slam. Now he felt even more guilty. She seemed very good at that. But Chad Dickson always finished what he started. He made his way up the stairs, nearly crashing into Harvey's open door as the boy swung it hard.

"This is a no-teens zone! Go away!" Harvey yelled, waving his weapon in the air. With a snarl, Chad kicked the door closed right on the boy's nose. "Get lost, dork."

Chad was used to Rachel's door being always closed to him. He knocked once, his own typical knock.

"Go away!" Her muffled voice yelled through the wood. He tried a different tactic, knocking three times.

"Housekeeping!" He said in a falsetto, pretty sure she was too clever to fall for it. To his surprise, she actually opened the door, a disbelieving frown on her face.

"That was pathetic," she had the kindness to say before she moved to slam the door closed again. Being the stronger of the two, he easily blocked it from closing. "Get your jacket." He said. That gave her pause.

"For what?"

"We're going to the carnival."

* * *

Rachel knew that she was doing nothing more than stroking Chad's already skyrocketing ego when she agreed to go, simply because she was a sucker for carnivals. Plus, she hadn't gone out and do teenage things in months. Student council last year wasn't kidding when they said exit exams to high school would be relentlessly difficult to pass.

So here she was, practically hugging Chad's middle as he ungodly zoomed his clunker down the road. Beyond the trees she could see the large ferris wheel's lights twinkle on in the dimming horizon. "Could you slow down to a dull sixty?!" She yelled over the loud engine, not even sure he heard her. She squeezed his middle hard and it finally got his attention.

"Can't hear you, McKenzie! Tell me when we get there!" He jeered over his shoulder, pushing the speed over seventy and making a hair pin turn that made Rachel's stomach plummet. She wondered if he was doing it on purpose, or he was actually used to his new girlfriend telling him to gun it over steep turns.

His manic speeding practically made her a vice, refusing to detach from his middle when he finally slowed down and parked near the entrance. And when she did, she nearly clamored for the asphalt, muttering something about 'sweet ground'.

"Stop worshiping the handicapped space, will you?" Chad scoffed. "You're embarrassing me." But she only glared at him and stayed prone until her head stopped spinning. When she finally got her bearings, Chad had already left her for the ticket booth and she had to double team it to catch up.

"Do you want the teen ticket or do you still favor the Rainbow Monkey tea-cup ride?" He teased when she finally caught up, liking the way the helmet she wore gave her a bad case of helmet hair. She gritted her teeth. This was a bad idea. A bad, bad,  _bad_  idea. She wasn't going to play his games when she already felt like crud, pushing him aside to order her own ticket.

He pushed her back. "You trying to make me look like a jerk, McKenzie? You know what, never mind, that's  _exactly_  what you're trying to do."

"I can pay for my own ticket, Dickson!"

"I offered to take you, didn't I?!"

"And you've graciously provided me with a ride," She drawled back. "So it's only fair I pay for my ticket."

He snorted. "With your dad's money."

"I'm thirteen! And it's my allowance!"

The ticket man rolled his eyes. "Can you hurry up? You're holding up the line!" And as Chad practically strong armed his way into paying, with Rachel pulling on his jacket with a surprising enough force to nearly topple him backwards, the ticket man growled and waved them off.

"Stupid lovesick kids! They don't pay me enough to deal with this!"

* * *

When they actually stepped foot into the carnival, all bets were off. The glowing environment as the sun finally set seemed to raise both their spirits up much, ignoring their rivalry for a moment to just partake in the rides and games.

"Fast rides!" Rachel said in excitement, staring hungrily at the Super Twirl O' Sick-A-Jumper. It looked exactly like the title said it would. "Do it while our stomachs are empty!" She remembered when Harvey once sneaked on a ride similar to the Sick-A-Jumper, using dad's old disco elevator shoes to get past the height sign. He puked up his entire dinner into the nearest trash bin for over an hour.

She knew her carnival tricks. Chad add that to the few notches of things he genuinely liked about Rachel McKenzie. It was a small list so far, but at least she was adding things to it. "Fast rides it is." The line was long, so he spent the time teasing about her hair sticking out in odd ways due to the helmet. Rachel frowned and tried to smooth down her steadily growing blond locks, pouting. "Why didn't you tell me, you jerk?!"

He laughed.

After getting on the fast rides twice...(or was it three times?), Rachel's hair got progressively worse to tame, much to Chad's amusement. Eventually it lost its charm because every time she thought she managed to smooth it out, there was always something still sticking out. And that was starting to annoy him. He forced her to turn around.

"H-hey!" She protested, blushing angrily when she felt fingers threading through the knots.

"Quiet you." Because really, it was embarrassing enough in front of other people. He'd rather not have anyone assume he was some sort of creep when she's looking like he just stuck gum in her hair. Now, he was no hairstylist, mind you, but he knew how to make a ponytail. Why she didn't come prepared with something to tie her hair down with he couldn't grasp.

Pulling off one of his rubber wristbands, he tugged the ponytail in place and then stepped off as far as possible as she felt behind to check it, giving it a few tugs for comfort. Rachel turned back around, a bit stunned but pleased. "Thanks."

He shrugged. "Whatever." There was that expression she was giving him again that made him a bit uncomfortable. Like he looked less like an alien and more like a human being. It was weird.

Rachel flicked at his jacket. "Games. I bet I can kick your butt at darts!" That got his competitive streak rolling. "Oh, you're on, McKenzie."

* * *

Was she always this good at darts back in KND? Because Chad was five bucks out of luck and Rachel had nailed every single balloon with pinpoint accuracy. "Don't get the goldfish." He warned her as she examined the prizes, more impressed with her skill than mad that he lost. She tapped her chin thoughtfully and then made a face at him.

"I'm not getting a goldfish. I know they don't last long!" And, quite frankly, she always had a sore spot for things dying on her. When Gold Rush died in his swimming bowl three years ago, Rachel had mourned his death for a month. She really started to regret telling Chad this aspect of her because he laughed.

"You're such a softie."

"Am not!"

She settled for a little stuffed lamb, which she put on top of her head just to spite him once he said her choice was so girly. Now he had to deal with leading a girl two years his junior around with a stuffed lamb on her head. He was starting to believe the wacky theories he once heard about Numbuh 362 being the master of cruel and unusual punishments.

While Rachel chatted with him about the new security detail his uncle was going to enforce for the trial over nachos, Chad noticed an angry streak of red hair approaching them. He grabbed Rachel's stuffed lamb and placed it behind his back, ignoring her angered protests. Her attempts to grab the stuffed animal ceased, however, when she recognized Cree in the group. "Cree?"

"Hey. Long time no see." The dark-skinned teen smiled at her as she looked at Rachel up and down. "Nice threads. You look like a real teenager."

Rachel sheepishly tugged at her new blue tank top. "What? This old thing?" Cree's smile turned into a smirk. "No doubt, girl. Very chic." The blond girl beamed at the praise. Chad rolled his eyes.

The girl leading the teen group was wild-looking, decked out all in black. Her bangs were a furious red, stark against the rest of her raven hair. Rachel immediately thought of intimidation. And bikers. "Chic? More like preppy." The wild girl sneered at her. Definitely intimidating. "I thought you were more into dangerous girls, Chad. Like me." The teen practically slithered her arms around Chad's middle, grinning.

"Roxy, this is the girl I told you I'm protecting." Chad's voice seemed to deepen. It was dark and lilting. Rachel had never heard him talk like that before.

Roxy snorted against Chad's chest, her poison green eyes looking at Rachel with something akin to dismissal. "Is that so? Looks like you've got your work cut out for you, baby."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Rachel frowned at her. If there was one kind of person she despised the most, it was bullies. "You don't know a thing about me!" Cree whistled, almost hoping for some sort of confrontation. It'd do wonders to see if Rachel still had it in her to kick actual butt.

"What did I tell you, Rox?" Cree grinned. "This girl can put her money where her mouth is." Roxy didn't seem so impressed. "This is the girl you want to join our clique? Please." Chad glared up at Cree. He wasn't informed that Rachel's application was still on the table for recruitment. So instead he switched glares and aimed one at Maurice. The older boy had the decency to look sheepish, hovering behind Cree in silence.

Rachel was used to secrets. Her family's income depended on secrets. But she felt out-of-place here, out of the loop. And Roxy's dismissive statements were starting to deflate her good mood.

"Hey baby, love the jacket." Roxy purred, changing the subject to something more compelling. Like her and her boyfriend. She tugged on his leather jacket. "Makes you look hot."

Rachel had never seen Chad 'in action' before, but she had to admit that he had real technique. He coolly regarded his girlfriend, putting on his best smile. "What are you talking about? I  _always_  look hot." Roxy laughed, standing on tip toe to kiss him. Rachel turned away out of politeness, fully blushing. How could they do that so comfortably in public?

"I'm gonna head over to the crane games." Rachel said, clearing her throat. Chad can make out with his girlfriend all that he wanted to. It wasn't like she needed him to enjoy herself. The memory of what happened in the mall loud in his thoughts, he opened his mouth to object.

Fortunately, Maurice stepped in. "Dude, I'll go with her. I'm pretty good at crane games myself." The dark-skinned boy smiled at her and she smiled back. Something about this boy made her feel at ease. "Is that okay, Cree?"

"It's perfectly fine," Cree smiled. Chad knew that smile, lived with that smile. Ulterior motives. Cree was setting Rachel up for recruitment by using Maurice as a proxy. "I was gonna meet up with the rest of the gang for the fun house. See you then?"

Maurice smiled back. "Of course, sweetheart." That was hard for Rachel to stomach. Maybe she was still too much of a kid after all. He offered his elbow to the younger girl. "Shall we, Ms. McKenzie?" Hoping she wasn't breaking some sort of girl code she still wasn't familiar with, she gingerly took his arm and led her through the crowd.

Chad continued to watch until they disappeared before he pulled away from Roxy. "I thought you had a mission tonight."

"Ended early. I got an entire group of Girl Scouts grounded and into the arms of Count Spankalot." Roxy let out a twisted smile and started to laugh. "You should've been there!"

Chad's smirk became fixed. "Yeah, I should have. Was Harmony there?" Harmony was Roxy's new best friend, planted by TND intelligence once they realized that Roxy was a real threat. Her mission success was near perfect since she joined. It was very...unsettling how passionate she was at ruining kids' lives. If Chad wasn't there, Harmony was supposed to be his substitute to stop her.

"Oh please. Harmony's such a buzz kill. And a jinx. Things go better when she's not arou-is that a stuffed lamb?" Roxy quirked an eyebrow at the toy he was hiding behind his back. He smoothly handed it to her.

"Want it? I won it for you, y'know." He smiled.

* * *

"Ooh! You almost got it!" She bit her fist nervously, watching in defeat as the crane rearranged itself back into place. Maurice patted down his pockets for another quarter. "Sorry, Rach. I guess I'm out." Rachel sighed and bumped her head gently against the glass.

"It's okay." Nestled between two large plastic bulbs filled with random trinkets was a bulb with a pretty charm bracelet inside. Stars, comets, and a single moon was entangled together with a cheap leather string. Sure it was a cheap trinket, but it was very pretty and she instantly wanted that as soon as she looked around the crane games.

Maurice humored her air of defeat, pointing at the bauble against the glass. "You really like space stuff, huh?"

She propped her head back up. "I guess."

"I saw your MySpace page. It's really nice," Maurice continued with an air of amusement. Not like the kind of smug amusement Chad usually gave her. It was genuine, almost like it was expected of her to like moons and stars. "Chad said you're almost obsessed with that stuff. Telescope, glow-in-the-dark stickers on the ceiling, the whole shebang-"

Rachel frowned. "He talks about me?"

Maurice beamed at her. She didn't really like the way he did it. Like he was amused by her practical response. "Oh yeah. He can't shut up about you. Even when I tell him to. He's _always_  got something to say about Rachel McKenzie."

"Oh I bet." No doubt he was complaining about how annoying she was or how she was cramping his style. Jerk.

Being a very wise teen, (too wise, was what Rachel believed), he continued to smile, expecting Rachel's response. "Give him some credit, it's not all bad. Believe me when I say this. Not everyone can push Dickson's buttons so easily. The way he talks, you just smash them without a care. And that's a compliment on your end."

That made her quirk a smile. "Good. His ego needs some bruising."

Maurice laughed in agreement.

* * *

Roxy was extremely picky about the rides. She was adamant over whether a certain ride was too babyish or too slow for her. Chad was of the firm belief that while she was very adept at the physical aspects of a relationship, she was terrible at the social part, loudly calling things stupid or babyish. And when they walked past a group of girls, she would snort and call them preps. It was aggravating.

"Yes, Roxy. You're absolutely punk," Chad said in a deadpan. "Could you stop sucking the fun out of everything?" Roxy once said she found him hot for speaking his mind. This better be one of them.

"I can't help it. People are giving me stupid judgmental looks. Like  _I'm_  the freak of nature over here," She growled, gripping his arm tightly. "All of them are conformist freaks. Not me."

It took all of his willpower to sound genuine. "Right. Do you wanna ride the ferris wheel?" She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "It's not fast."

"But it's high up. And  _private."_  He stressed out the word, his eyebrow quirked up. She let out a slow grin, inspired by his genius tact.

"Let's go, big boy."

And if anything, at least he could see over the carnival and find Maurice and Rachel somewhere in the crowd.

* * *

"You're not afraid of heights are you?" Maurice, now in the lead, brought them to the ferris wheel. Rachel looked up. It was pretty high up, but she's never been afraid of tall things. "Nope." She chirped as they found a place in line.

There was a long silence, so she tried to pad out the wait with idle chit-chat. "Are you Cree's boyfriend?" It was an innocent question and she tried to look it too. Maurice blinked at her before laughing.

"In a sense, yeah. Why do you ask?" She hadn't expected another question from him about that. And, quite frankly enough, she wasn't exactly sure how to answer that. Rachel rubbed the back of her head.

"Just...asking. Do...girls my age get boyfriends so quickly?" It would be nice going on dates with a boy and doing couple things. Well, it's more of the fact that she hardly had any friends as it is and well, weekends tend to be her loneliest part of the week.

Maurice seemed to deliberate on this, folding his arms. "I'm not exactly a thirteen year old girl, but I'm pretty sure not all of them get boyfriends. Sometimes they wait. Sometimes not at all." He tilted his head. "Are you looking for a boyfriend, Rachel?"

"What?! No, nonono!" She spluttered, waving her hands around. "It's just a question is all. It's just you're a boy. I don't communicate with boys too much. See, I go to an all-girl's school and..." She continued to ramble, getting more desperate with each word. Smiling kindly, Maurice raised up his hand, signaling for her silence.

"It's cool, it's cool. I read you loud and clear." He shrugged. "You see Chad a lot. That's gotta count for something."

Rachel made a face at that. "Dickson's mean. He teases me and makes me so mad. I thought that all boys his age were like that. But  _you're_  not like that."

Maurice grinned. "Chad's...a special case. He's sour. He's been like that for a couple of years now."

"I get that. But why?" She looked up at him so earnestly, Maurice was taken a bit off guard by it.

They were treading into something Maurice wasn't sure he was allowed to tell. Even in a general sense. Instead, he placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "I'm not sure I can say. Chad's had to work for everything. Sometimes that's not enough. But he works and he doesn't stop. That's one of his best qualities, actually. I know he can be difficult. And I mean that in the nicest way. But he's a good guy. Trust me." Rachel frowned, but she took what she could get and nodded.

When they reached the front of the line, he let her go first. "Be right behind you!" He patted her on the shoulder and, with a conflicted shrug, took her seat in one of the open compartments.

"Move prep! This is ours!" Roxy growled, shoving a random couple aside to secure the second open compartment. Chad rolled his eyes and turned to the ticket guy. Maurice hung back on the platform, discovering them. He wondered if this stroke of luck was divine.

With a playful grin, Maurice jumped into Roxy's compartment. She stared incredulously at him as the ride employee wasted no time to close the door and send them off. "What the heck are you doing, Maurice?!"

He had the decency to look remotely surprised. "Hey! You're not Cree!"

* * *

Chad walked along the platform, finding the only one open as everyone else had been secured and waiting. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he walked in, only realizing that it wasn't Roxy's compartment when the ride employee closed the door with a heavy smack.

"Roxy, baby." He let out a teasing grin, slouching coolly on the opposite side as the ride began to move. "You changed your hair color."

"Shut up." Rachel frowned, looking out the window for Maurice as their compartment began to climb. She didn't see him anywhere. He didn't seem the type to ditch her, but maybe Cree was around. With a sigh, she finally turned toward Chad, who seemed to be insufferably amused by these turn of events. "Weren't you with Roxy?"

"I'm not, obviously," He drawled back. "Your grasp on elementary deduction is astonishing."

She gritted her teeth, remembering Maurice's choice of words about Chad's history. Instead, she did what her mother used to do when she was around annoying people. She folded her arms, crossed her legs, and stuck her nose up in the air. Chad snorted at the scene.

"Trying to be the bigger person, McKenzie? Because you do that so well," He moved, causing their compartment to swish back and forth until he was situated next to her, stretching an arm behind her head. She scooted as far away from him as possible until she hit the side and glared through the window. Their compartment dipped from the uneven weight.

Her strange oath of silence was something he just wasn't going to just let her have. Chad continued to tease, finding amusement in how red her cheeks were becoming. "You know, if this were an actual date, you're sort of failing miserably."

"We're not on a date!" She hissed, finding contentment with just squashing against the side. He continued to scoot closer and she just didn't have any more room to squish into anymore. "What happened to professionalism?" She used the work card, hoping that it'll get him to back off.

Unfortunately, it didn't. "I'm on my day off. You said so yourself."

Rats.

"I did, didn't I?" She said brightly, which immediately got him suspicious. She scooted in the opposite direction now, knees bumping each other in the process. "So, let's talk normal things,  _Chad."_

"What?" He didn't expect the sudden one-eighty in her voice, nor the way she started to slide back over to him. Or that she never used his first name if she could help it. His mind screamed ulterior motives.

Rachel continued on happily, completely oblivious to Chad's wariness. "Yeah, Maurice and I talked a lot. He's really nice!"

"Don't even consider trying to ask him out," Chad warned, for her sake more than his. "Cree would string you up and leave you upside down a flagpole in your underwear." Alright, that made Rachel wince a bit.

"I take it that it's happened before?"

"You have  _no_  idea."

She waved him off. "He's  _nice._  I didn't say I wanted to marry him. But it got me thinking. I mean, you've got a  _girlfriend._  And really, I didn't know girls liked jerks so much."

"There's a compliment somewhere in there I'm pretty sure." Chad said in a deadpan. He scooted away again, their knees bumping a second time. She was onto something. He didn't like it one bit. Now the tables had turned and  _he_  was the one trying to get away.

"And...it might be fun, having a boyfriend." Rachel smiled happily at him. "And hey, that means you don't have to watch me every time I leave the house. I'll have my boyfriend to do that for me! It's a win-win scenario, don't you agree?"

This time, he didn't move when they bumped knees again, feeling the heat of her side against his. "Hold on a moment. You want a boyfriend now?" She was only  _thirteen,_  for Pete's sake. "What would your dad think?"

"I don't think he'll mind so long as he's nice and responsible," She reasoned. "And he'll be mature, sweet, and romantic..."

"Tch. This is the  _real_  world, McKenzie. Why don't you read something instead? Because your little Disney prince can only be found in fairy tales." Because seriously. Sure Maurice seemed perfect, but he was far from perfect. She barely knew the guy for an hour.

She raised an eyebrow at him, so close he could practically count her eyelashes if he wanted to. "Jealous?"

"You wish."

And then the cable to the compartment snapped.

* * *

Their ride jolted with a loud cringe of metal. Maurice snapped his head back up from an argument with Roxy over whether grunge ended with Nirvana and turned to the window. Their compartment lurched horribly and people started screaming. "Something's wrong." He surmised, going into his operative mode. Roxy followed suit, scrutinizing the opposite window.

"Maurice, some of the cables snapped!" She pointed to one of the arms of the ferris wheel. "Stupid adults don't know a thing about rust?!"

Maurice shook his head, moving towards the window to inspect the cables from afar. "Not rust. They look like they were melted off."

This wasn't no accident. He recognized some of the yellowish gunk caked on the separation of wires. "Roxy, we're popping out of this. Let's go!" She didn't need to be told twice, kicking the door open with a spiked boot.

* * *

Rachel let out a startled scream as the both of them were tossed toward the opposite side of their compartment, one of the cables from their end had completely snapped for some reason. Before she could slam hard against the window, Chad quickly held an arm out to catch her, the window cracking under their combined weight instead.

They can hear screams from both above and below them. Something had happened to the ride. "McKenzie! You alright?!" She was shaking on top of him, no doubt in shock. "Talk to me, Rachel!"

"Oh my god, oh my god-!" Rachel stuttered out, feeling the world under them sway dangerously in the air. She felt like her heart had dropped to her stomach, barely comprehending what just happened.

Chad gripped her tightly, if not to calm and snap her out of it. "Listen to me, Rachel. You need to calm down. It's gonna be-" The compartment lurched down another inch, another cable snapping from the weight. Rachel let out another terrified yelp.

There was one,  _no_  two things he needed to do. One to keep Rachel McKenzie safe.

Two was to  _keep Rachel McKenzie safe._

"Okay...we gotta get out of here." He gasped out, the compartment creaking heavily. There was no way they could wait for the firefighters. They wouldn't be able to stay in the air for that long. "You need to listen to me-are you listening, Rachel?"

She nodded into his jacket, her grip on him painful. "You're going to have to look up. See that handlebar?" He nodded at the metal guard above them, but she shook her head, too scared to register what was happening. "Listen Rachel,  _we can't stay here_. This thing will snap with us in it if we don't get out now. Trust me on this. Please."

That seemed to get her attention. She slowly lifted her head, her eyes meeting with his. Unlike her's, his was calm, almost deadly. Like he was used to nearly getting himself killed. She didn't know it was a good thing or a bad thing. Frankly, she didn't care. She looked over her shoulder, seeing the guard rail.

"Good girl. Grab the handlebar, lift yourself up. Try to get yourself as close to the top. I'll follow." Hopefully, that will lessen the weight on the compartment and give them some extra time. It seemed logical enough, but what did he know? He wasn't taking physics yet. He took a deep breath and watched her slowly move up, shaking all the way. When she grabbed a hold, the compartment lurched again.

"Don't let go of that! It's alright, it's alright!" Chad said quickly. She had almost let go in shock. "Climb up. I'll follow." Rachel swallowed hard, looking down at him.

"It's...it'll be alright," She told him bravely. He almost wanted to laugh at her bravado, but given the circumstances...

Determined, she slowly heaved herself up, hooking her legs against the back of the seat, silently glad for all the gymnastics lessons she took as a child. The compartment creaked angrily and she gasped, feeling Chad now securely behind her like he promised. "Alright McKenzie?" He said near her ear. She could do nothing but nod, her head bumping against his shoulder.

And then he did something weird. He pressed his free hand against the glass in front of them. She watched in amazement as something emerged through his sleeve, black and glinting. When it covered his entire bare hand, she vaguely recognize it as some kind of gauntlet.

"Cover your face." He ordered, pulling his hand back and into a fist. She quickly did so, hearing the sounds of cracking and shattering as his fist made contact with the glass. The compartment lurched once more as another cable snapped. Shaking glass out of his hair, Chad saw Maurice and Roxy on top of their compartment's arm, ready to help.

"Her first!" Chad shouted, nudging Rachel further up with his body. She shook herself from the stray glass and saw Maurice climb down the snapped cables, offering his hand. "Chad..." She stuttered out, suddenly afraid that they were going to leave him behind.

"You can do it! Climb out!" He nudged her up again and eventually she carefully climbed out through the window.

"Easy! Careful of the glass!" Maurice warned as he saw her grip the sharp broken ends of the window. Rachel could hear people shouting from below so she tried to tune it out, eventually grabbing Maurice's outstretched hand. With surprising strength, he pulled her up onto the arm's ledge until she securely wrapped her arms around it. Roxy pulled her up the rest of the way.

Chad let out a breath he didn't realize he had held, refusing to budge until Rachel was secure and safe. "You waiting for an invitation, Chad?!" Maurice yelled, sliding further down the cables. "Get moving!" He didn't need to be told twice.

Uncaring about the structure, he quickly climbed through the smashed window, jumping onto the cable just as the compartment made one last lurch and detached itself from the arm entirely, crashing down the platform down below. Maurice scrambled back up the cable, Chad close by.

Just as Roxy managed to heave Maurice back up the arm, there was another loud snap of wires being torn, an empty compartment above them dislodging completely. Chad had just grabbed a hold of the arm when it happened, the compartment crashing down. And as the compartment tore off the end of the arm, the shockwave forced Chad to let go and fall.

It was over for him, wasn't it?

* * *

Cree and the others ran as fast as they could to the ferris wheel, hearing people scream that the ride was coming down. Just because they were teenagers didn't mean they didn't care about the welfare of civilians. Teen Ninja code dictated that civilians needed to be kept safe, especially when some of their own didn't call in on the emergency communicator. Her heart dropped when she saw Maurice attempt to jump from arm to arm with Roxy at his heels, pulling people left and right out of any compartments out of reach by security.

"Maurice!" She yelled against the backdrop of all the screaming, but she knew he couldn't hear her. One of the compartments was near to snap completely and she watched in horror as she saw Maurice attempt to climb down after them, managing to pull up Rachel in the process. And just when she saw Chad jump off, the compartment snapped. There were two children standing in awe as the compartment made its way down to them.

"Stupid kids! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" She yelled, running as fast as she could. Pushing the two gaping children, she managed to get them out of way as the structure crashed onto the ground, some of the shrapnel slicing up the back of her new jacket as she covered them into the grass. The kids began to scream and sob underneath her until she was eventually pulled up by some good Samaritans, dragged safely away from the malfunctioning ride.

* * *

It seemed almost like in slow motion. She didn't know why she did it. She didn't even know that she had it in her in the first place. But when Chad had let go of the bar for a fatal plunge, something inside of her reacted.

Like she had done this all of her life.

Rachel jumped off the arm, the back of her legs twisting painfully around the open cable as she somehow managed to grab Chad's hands at the last-minute, dangling upside down in midair. Her legs immediately locked themselves together, reliving Chad's heavy weight as it was distributed along the cable.

She was too busy to care about how she managed to do it. It was almost natural to her. She could hear Roxy curse colorfully above them in surprise, Maurice ordering them to stay calm and hold on as they attempted to get them pulled up. Chad gasped at the good luck and then nearly let go when he realized who had him.

"WHAT?! HOW DID YOU-!" It was impossible. She used the reverse monkey bar twist technique, only available to those trained during the Academy at Arctic Base. She shouldn't have _...couldn't_  have remembered.

"You can let go now!" Someone yelled from below. They both looked down to see the flashing of lights and firemen with an inflatable surface directly beneath them. Shaking, it took Rachel a minute or so to finally let go, watching Chad fall onto the inflatable before letting go herself.

Roxy whistled lowly, patting her stunned comrade on the back. "Cree wasn't kidding, was she? That prep might be worth something to us after all!"

* * *

Chad and Rachel were already brought in to one of the adjacent ambulances to get looked on by the time Maurice and Roxy hopped down. One of their own, Josh, ignored the protests of the policemen in the vicinity to reach them.

"Maurice! Cree got hurt bad!"

Dread hitting him, Maurice grabbed the teen. "What do you mean Cree's hurt?!"

"Dude, she saved a bunch of kids from getting splattered when the first compartment fell! Medics said she's got shrapnel and-!" Josh's explanation fell short as Maurice immediately bolted for the ambulances to find her. When he did, he found her laying on her stomach, bemoaning the fact that her new jacket got torn up as they began patching up her back.

"It's alright!" Cree waved at a medic who was trying to shoo Maurice away. "He's my boyfriend. Maurice, do you see this?" She pointed at her new Gucci jacket lying on the ambulance floor, torn to shreds. "Horrible. The whole thing's ruined!"

Maurice let out a strangled sob of relief, kneeling next to the stretcher. "You alright, baby? I thought-Josh said you were hurt bad!"

Cree rolled her eyes, blowing a stray lock away from her face. "Josh is an idiot who can't tell between a stomach ache and a paper cut." But Maurice didn't care. As soon as she was finally patched up and taken off the stretcher, he had her in his arms.

"You saved some kids, I hear." He smiled into her hair. Cree scoffed against his shoulder. "Yeah, whatever." But it wasn't 'whatever' to him. Not at all.

* * *

"How'd you do it?"

"...do what?"

Chad was the last to be checked on, despite his protests that he was fine. Rachel was getting her hands wrapped up with gauze, her fingers cut up a bit from the glass when she hauled herself up. His inquisition continued, much to her obvious irritation, mostly to keep her distracted from falling into shock. "You did that thing to catch me. That technique. Where did you learn it?"

Rachel tightened Chad's jacket around her, tired of the questioning. "I don't know. From gymnastics I guess." He wasn't pleased with her answer, but she had turned pale, so he dropped it. It was most likely a fluke. It had only been a few months since her decommissioning after all.

The medics finally left them alone to tend to the others and Chad moved closer, finding her shaking. He sat in front of her, just watching, and then pulled her into his arms. "Alright. It's alright. You did good. You did  _very_  good." She did better than good. He'd have been wheeled into the hospital for worse injuries if not for her. She completely crumpled into him, letting out a cross between heaving gasping and sobs.

He had forgotten that she wasn't a KND operative anymore. She was having a traumatic moment, something that was easily stamped out of them when they were in training. He realized that right now he was treating her like she was an operative barely succeeding in her first mission instead of a normal teenager. It was wrong. It was unfair.

Instead of whispering encouragement like he used to in his days as Supreme Leader, he consoled her. He held her shivering profile firmly, rubbing her back until she stopped crying. And it worked.

Sometime during the embrace, she had fainted, exhausted from the excitement. He was going to have to explain to her father what had happened. Worse, he was going to have to explain to his parents what the giant cut on his forehead was. He continued to rub her back, even when Maurice finally approached.

"We need to talk." Maurice said. He quickly tapered off to whispering when Chad glared at him, not wanting her to wake up.

"Can't this wait? I gotta take McKenzie home. Do some damage control-"

Maurice stared at him. Seriously. "Those cables. They were intentionally melted." Chad frowned. "What?"

"Roxy saw it first. Our line was nearly snapped off. There's a paste practically eating through it." Maurice continued in a harsh whisper. "We called it G.U.M. Gooey Ultra Melt-thing. New standard tech."

Chad didn't like what he was hearing. "From our side?"

"No. It's new tech. 2x4 tech." He said gravely. "Numbuh 5's going to have a field day when she hears about this." This was dangerous. Way too dangerous. The KND would never do something like this. People nearly  _died_. If this was sanctioned by Moonbase, they were violating the greatest treaty of them all.

Anybody convicted of inflicting bodily harm to civilians resulted in a loss of an operative's asylum rights from the Teen Ninjas...and a dishonorable decommissioning from the Kids Next Door. Rachel shifted a bit in Chad's arms. He tightened his hold on her. "Are you saying we've got renegade KND operatives on our hands?"

"Not just renegade operatives." Maurice growled. That made things even more serious.  _"Dangerous_  renegade operatives."


	6. Year One - Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A moment of quiet to settle the nerves. Tensions arise within a once great populous, a renegade cell lurks in the shadows, and a wish to relive a minute in the past.

**Year One**  – Interlude

"KIDS NEXT DOOR RULE!"

"KIDS NEXT DOOR RULE!" A stadium full of operatives yelled back in pride, cheering as loud as they could until Numbuh 86 yelled at them to shut up.

"Our Supreme Leader is here fer an urgent message! So QUIET yer yaps and let 'er speak!" Numbuh 86 growled, standing at attention by the podium. The stadium watched as Numbuh 5 walked on stage, flanked by two guards.

Abby stood at the podium, staring at it for a moment before walking around it. She wasn't one to be formal. Not this time. "Numbuh 5 be telling you that this  _ain't_  a party." She began. "This is serious. Word has already spread that KND operatives have gone rogue, nearly hurting civilians at a carnival a few days ago!"

Some of the kids gasped. Others turned to their neighbor to chat about that. Numbuh 86 yelled at them to be quiet again.

"Numbuh 5 don't need to be telling seasoned operatives the greatest rule that not only we have to follow, but teens and adults have to follow too. But apparently, you all need a refresher course!" Abby said angrily. "We do not. DO NOT harm civilians, be it kids, teens, even adults! Do you know what's the result for breaking this rule, even a bit?!" A good number tentatively raised their hands, but Numbuh 5 wasn't in the mood to play teacher.

"Those found convicted of de incident will be DISHONORABLY DECOMMISSIONED!" Numbuh 86 interjected, her voice causing many to tense up in fear. "There's no trial, there's no 'oopsy-daisy', there's nuthin! You will be decommissioned without trial, without reason! And we will  _find_  you, make no mistake!"

"KND Internal Affairs are already investigating as we speak," Numbuh 5 said, cutting Fanny off with a wave of her hand. "Numbuh 5 suggest those that are hiding the perpetrators step forward now. If you  _are_  hiding them and we find out you hid them?  _You_  will be decommissioned alongside them. No ifs, ands, or buts. Do y'all hear me?" A loud rumble of worry rolled through the stadium and Numbuh 5 ordered the emergency announcement to be over. "Numbuh 5 out!"

* * *

KND's Supreme Leader palmed her face as Numbuh 86 led the way back to the Global Command Deck, sincerely wishing she didn't take up the job when Numbuh 362 left. "This is bad, Numbuh 86. Really bad."

The redhead said nothing, wisely quiet for once. Younger kids didn't understand, but seasoned operatives did. While no doubt most of the kids was happily chattering about random things now, this plight weighed heavily on the senior officers. If the teens ever genuinely found out about this-they were going to put KND on notice for war.

But this was even more personal to the Supreme Leader. Her sister got injured from this whole mess, from saving  _kids_  no doubt. The chains of command on her shoulders-no, the guilt of not reigning control over her kids to prevent the new scars on Cree's back fueled her into a rage she had never experienced before.

"Numbuh 5 wants those kids, Numbuh 86." Abby said in the privacy of her office. Numbuh 86 stood in attention, noting the way Abby's back was painfully stiff. "Numbuh 5 want every sector involved decommissioned. Numbuh 5 don't want one single kid to remain an operative if they've had a part in this. Numbuh 5 wants their numbuhs blackened and stricken from the KND records! You hear me?"

"Yes sir!" They didn't deserve their resources, their name. Their numbuhs. Fanny marched out of Abby's office, her yelling outside while shrill, did wonders for Abby's growing frustration. At least she was doing something and  _that_  was why she was vital as second-in-command.

Once she was gone, Abby collapsed in her chair, rubbing her eyes. She was tired and zero forbid, actually wished for her decommissioning to finally come. How did 362, heck  _274_ managed to do all this work and still keep their wits about them?

"Tired, Abigail?" Abby looked up and saw a familiar face in the shadow of her office.

"Numbuh 9?" No, not Numbuh 9 anymore. She corrected herself. "Maurice." Maurice emerged into the light, frowning.

"Any luck, Commander?" He asked. It was firm and kind. But his implication on Moonbase was more dire than just a simple greet and chat. His superiors expressly told him to brave his way through security to reach her office. For great reason.

She sat back in her seat. "Numbuh 5 just called all the Sectors for the Supermetanical Ultra Mega Conference. Numbuh 86 sure got their underwears bunched up, but no leads so far. Numbuh 5 hadn't even received word from internal affairs yet."

"What about the G.U.M. resource? That device wasn't to be implemented into the KND basic armory pack until December."

Abby slid her seat toward the filing cabinet and started to leaf through a drawer. "Numbuh 2 just gave me the shipping order. He also looked through the sample you handed over. The paste was too acidic. No way would the science department send that stuff out if an operative could get seriously injured by it. Numbuh 65.3 had a component sheet somewhere, lemme check..." She rustled around the heavy paperwork before pulling out a manila folder.

Maurice opened it up as she slid it along the desk, seeing the variations of the paste in question. "KND's paste component was supposed to be sticky, nothing more." He frowned at the results and slid the file back. "But this one was corrosive. It practically ate through steel. Your renegade operatives must have a scientist in their ranks."

"Possible, but not necessarily. Any honor student can come up with that kind of firepower." Abby sat back, caught between a rock and a hard place with these turn of events. "Numbuh 5 thinks we've got an actual splinter cell on our hands. And their members ain't about a few sour kids. They're smart. They're clever. They're  _organized._  No way they could've been able to do this without being seen. So we've got not just the science department on report, but Numbuh 5 had to cut through all the red tape and get an investigation in with KND Intelligence."

"Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you then, sir." Maurice dipped his head in respect, not exactly envying her position at the moment. Abby let out a low whine of discontent, placing her head on the desk.

"This never happened with 362. Or 274."

"Don't forget 100." He joked lightly. "But don't stress out too much. It's not your fault. We knew eventually it was going to come to this. We just didn't expect it to happen so quickly."

Sighing, she sat back up, looking at the glass ceiling over head. There were stars and she wondered if Numbuh 1 was in any one of them at this very moment. "I really miss my sector." She admitted ruefully and in first person for once. "Things were simple back then. We stop Knightbrace from fixing teeth and we make it home in time for supper. Now I'm hardly ever home."

And the rest of Sector V? She hadn't seen them in so long. New members took over their sector once the old ones got promoted. Numbuh 2 she's seen the most, but even that was sparingly, taking a job as Senior Flight Coordinator in Moonbase's 2x4 Aeronautics Division. Numbuh 3 was with her new ER sector that quarantined a huge outbreak of hamster flu in Mumbai last week and Numbuh 4? He took over Numbuh 60's job as a Staff Sergeant in Arctic Base, his new squadron of recruits out of contact while they were under intense physical training in the fringe basin. They were much too busy with their own thing now. Just like her.

Maurice remained silent, letting Abby relive her days before grounding her back to reality. "Things change, Abby. They always do."

"There's another thing I wanted to discuss while you're here." Abby frowned at him. "What's going on with Numbuh 362?"

Maurice straightened up, his expression firm. "Rachel McKenzie. She's not Numbuh 362 anymore."

"Tell me the truth, Maurice. Is Cree trying to recruit her?"

Another round of silence. He chose his words carefully this time. "In a sense. Dickson won't let her though. So there's nothing to worry about."

"Rachel was my friend. I have a right to worry about her, don't I?" Abby frowned, gripping the desk that used to belong to the said person in question. "And Chad's back? Why is he with her?"

"That I can't answer." Maurice said coolly. "Because I don't know. You and I both know that Chad answers to someone higher than any of us. If he hasn't told  _me_ , he hasn't told _anyone._  But from my perspective so far? He's keeping her neutral. From KND  _and_  the Teen Ninjas. That's all I know. That's all I see."

It was Abby's turn to fall silent, somewhat accepting his answer. It added more questions, but so long as their former Supreme Leader was safe, the issue had to be shelved for the greater matter at hand. "How's Cree?" He smiled at that.

"She's fine. For all her bravado about her looks, she seems pleased with the 'battle' scars. So long as her face remains untouched of course." That finally made Abby smile. Typical Cree.

* * *

Chad's shoes were propped up on a lone desk, going through pictures of Rachel McKenzie's time as Numbuh 362. Her hard copy file was thick with detailed mission stats and accolades. The perfect file for a former Supreme Leader.

Whether he noticed Numbuh Infinity approach the darken room or not, he didn't seem to care. He thumbed a very old picture of her in a dark purple turtleneck sweater, the fabric nearly eating her with how clumsily sized it was. She was much younger back then, but little had changed. She stared back at him with the same pride and dedication she had when she was the Supreme Leader.

"Strange how things change." Infinity said, breaking the silence. He stopped just short of the desk, hands placed behind his back as usual.

Chad tossed the photo back into the pile and dredged up the one of her back in the Academy days. This one was a group picture for all the graduates. Within the sea of students, he saw her hanging in the far left where she belonged with the other graduates moving into KND Intelligence. His nostalgia faded away when he also saw  _him_  on the far right, smiling just as proudly. With a bitter scowl, he tossed that aside too. "I forgot she belonged to that year. Graduated that year."

"Anything particularly special about that year?" Infinity decided to humor him. For Chad, that usually meant he was going to give him something difficult to deal with later on. As usual.

"I taught a couple of classes at the Academy back when I got the Omega Flu. Pretty sure I got a medal for that. Saved a bus load of third graders at the cost of my health. It wasn't contagious, but it left me weak for months. Decided to put myself to actual use teaching the new kids until I got full control of my legs again." Chad said, pulling out Numbuh 362's old Academy scores. Her stealth was near unparalleled according an instructor's note. "New kids are all the same. They think they're hotshots because they got recruited. Numbuh 1 wasn't too much like them, but he sure got a whole lot of ego stroking for his tactical prowess."

Numbuh Infinity nodded. "Yes, he's very good at deducing the enemy's intentions."

Chad scoffed at that. "It's the opposite for girls. They don't think they're hotshots. They're scared at first, especially with the physical stuff. And when the boys turn it into a competition, most girls tend to back out. She didn't."

"Numbuh 362?"

He nodded once, tossing away the report and reaching for another one. "I don't remember her much. You don't really pay much attention to them until they do something that's  _worth_ your attention. I was working under Numbuh 100 back then and really, did I care to remember any of their names? Most of them wouldn't have graduated anyways. And I had things to do, missions to run. A health to get stronger in. But I remember her exceptional work ethic and how she easily got her group together on mock missions. Even Numbuh 1 had trouble with that."

When Numbuh Infinity declined to interject, Chad continued. "Something does stand out about her now that I mention this. On Earth, there was a question we individually ask each recruit. We ask, 'Describe in one word what you believe the KND is to kids.' and you know what, lots of kids have trouble answering that. Sometimes they'll bumble and say entire sentences. Sometimes they'll go into a huge essay about how cool the KND was. Others said ice cream. But you know what she said?"

"What did she say?"

Chad sat back.  _"Sacrifice._  Can you believe that? I told her to elaborate, but she said nothing. She was only to say one word, you see, and she upheld that. She was so literal-minded." He looked up at the glass dome ceiling, the stars always glowing in space. "I kinda wished I asked her about it after she graduated. I don't know why she said it, but it bothered me for a while. But after I recovered from Omega, I didn't have time to reflect on that. I had a job to do and I never really thought about it again."

"Sometimes we don't know what we miss until it's gone." Infinity said sagely. "Are you regretting things now, Numbuh 274? You cannot go back and try again. Numbuh 362 is gone forever."

"Is she now?" These days, Chad didn't seem to fall for that. Not with what's been happening. "She saved me a couple of nights ago."

"So I have been told." Chad couldn't tell Infinity's expression. He never could. He supposed all GKND operatives preferred to wear sunglasses.

He went back to looking through her documents. "You're not going to give me some kind of valid explanation on why she was able to tap into her muscle memory from the KND?"

There was a pause. "Many strange things happen after decommissioning, Numbuh 274. One can never truly forget what has been ingrained into them for so long."

"Spare me the decommissioning spiel, Infinity. I've heard that countless times. This wasn't just a 'strange thing'. She dreams of stars and space. She managed to do a complicated maneuver used by only KND operatives to keep me from becoming an ugly splat on the pavement."

Another stretch of silence. "You are looking into things you will never find, 274," Infinity continued. "Continue to look through her report, but you will not find what you cannot find in any other operative's file. Sometimes extraordinary things happen under duress and that is just that. There is no conspiracy. It is simple fact."

Chad glowered at Infinity as he turned his back to leave the operative to his thoughts. "Why wasn't she recommended to go undercover, Infinity? She was more than qualified for the position."

That seemed to cause Infinity to stop. "She  _was_  recommended, Numbuh 274."

"Then why didn't you recruit her?!"

Numbuh Infinity didn't bother to turn around as he left. "She refused."


	7. Year One - Gratitude I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Tis the season for feelings to blossom...and a battle to ring in the new year! Part one of two.

**Year One**  – Gratitude I

"You haven't heard a single metal band like...ever?" It was Chad's turn to look in disbelief. "You live under a rock or something?"

"Funny, I seem to be living in a very nice mansion." Rachel popped another strawberry into her mouth. "I told you to take that colorblind test..."

He made a motion across his neck to tell her to shut up. Interestingly enough, she did. "Not one. Single. Metal. Band."

Rachel made a face. "I thought we already went through this. Unless I'm experiencing déjà vu..."

"Cage Fighter Killers? Forehead Bashers of Kickbuttsica? Power Cylinder Seven? Death of a Mailman? C'mon, you have to be familiar with Death of a Mailman!" And she called herself a teenager? This was just sad and his dubious frown showed it. She rubbed her eyes.

"I don't know any of those! And really, those sound horrible." Death of a Mailman? Really? "Lemme guess. The band jumps around wearing bulldog masks?"

"Close, but no cigar. They wear pit bull masks."

"Metallica."

Chad paused in mid bite of his toast. "What did you say?"

Rachel frowned at him. "Metallica. AC/DC. Twisted Sister. Black Sabbath." She thought for a moment. "KISS."

Alright, he had to bite on this one. "Now? With me?" He grinned as her cheeks turned a bright red. Chad Dickson: 1, Rachel McKenzie: 0. She began to splutter angrily and really, if she didn't set herself up like that every single time...

"The  _band_ , you creep." She made another face, tossing a strawberry at him. His quick reflexes caught it much to her displeasure and he popped it into his mouth. "I know those bands."

"Ah, so the said rock-mansion you live under only has old people music? Why am I not surprised?"

Rachel's father walked into the kitchen, humming to himself while looking through his newspaper. "Mr. McKenzie, is this your doing?" Catching on, she tried to get Chad to shut up, but the damage had been done. Her father looked over.

"Pardon, son?"

"Metallica. AC/DC. Twisted Sister. Black Sabbath." Chad smirked at her, who looked ready to pummel him if she was capable of it. "KISS."

Rachel's father positively beamed. "You know those bands?! And here I thought they were lost forever! Youth these days—wanting the be-boops and their synthesizer music. And here I thought we went back to the 80's. Kids these days don't appreciate some good, wholesome rock. 70's music was wild and dangerous! It was at a time where adults back then were so scared of words like death and destruction. Almost taboo, really." Rachel sighed and palmed her face. Here we go again.

But Chad was positively amused, letting her father pop a chair and talk about the good ol' days of rock and roll. "Do you remember when you were a teen, Mr. McKenzie?"

"Yeah. A million years ago." Mr. McKenzie winked. Rachel couldn't help but giggle at such a lame joke. "When I was your age son, I was the cool cat. The guy girls loved to date, but their folks absolutely hated." Rachel placed her head on the table and groaned. She didn't need to hear this!

* * *

He didn't need to hear this!

"You're a pianist? Oh, well Chad's quite the violin player! We took him to lessons all the time when he was growing up! All of his teachers said he was such an exceptional student. Always so polite just like we raised him!"

"You don't say?" Rachel smiled, chin resting on her palm as Chad's mother started another ramble about how good of a boy Chad was. Said teen now banging his head on the table, hoping that enough of it would cause a severe concussion.

It was supposed to be a routine get in and get out scenario from his house, realizing that he forgot his wallet when he was driving Rachel to her Saturday gymnastics session. It was an amazement that he didn't get caught by any cops for driving without his permit on hand. Rachel had tried to jinx it once or twice just to get him to slow down more than usual.

But his mother caught him trying to sneak out, seeing Rachel sit impatiently on his bike outside while she was doing the dishes. After a ten minute session of chewing him out for leaving 'a lovely young lady on a live bike in the snow', ("It was propped! It's not going anywhere!") his mother quickly ushered his charge in for some hot cocoa. And that's where the pain  _really_  began.

"Aren't we going to be late for your gymnastics session?" He asked, teeth gritted as his mother went on another prattle about his trophy shelf. His mother practically gushed at his words.

"Gymnastics too? Oh, your parents must be so proud! Do you compete, dear?" She asked Rachel excitedly, wringing her gloved hands together. Chad thumped his head back onto the table.

Rachel politely wave her hand in a so-so motion. "I do it more for the exercise than to compete. But I've won a couple of ribbons here and there."

"And so modest! Oh, Chad, you've really outdone yourself this time! I mean, I know your father and I aren't allowed to 'meddle' in your relationships," His mother air-quoted meddle, which made Rachel giggle. "But the last one was a bit...well, scary. This one's very nice!"

Chad raised his head, a piece of Christmas laurel stuck to his cheek. "...what?"

Rachel caught on faster than him. "Oh...no. You must be mistaken. I'm not his girl-"

"Honey! Come in here! Chad's got a real nice girl here to meet us!" His mother hollered into the next room, selectively ignoring Rachel's tentative retraction. "And she's not SCARY!"

There was a secret escape pod in the garage. If Chad managed to make his way there before his dad came by to make things even more embarrassing, he'd have five whole minutes of relief before crashing into the sun. It was starting to be a more desirable outcome with each passing second. Rachel took a sip of her drink, trying not to burst out laughing for appearance's sake.

"Why is it that people think we're a couple?" She whispered, more to herself than Chad. He, however, blew his bangs out of his eyes in distaste.

"Because people are naturally stupid?"

Stupid was such a strong word in her opinion, even if it was easily applied to the situation at hand. Then again, maybe it's because she was a teenager now, and everything seemed radically better when she can blame her problems on other people.

That was what she thought when Chad's father appeared, eagerly shaking her hand. "Why hello there! Aren't you just a doll!"

"And look how pressed her attire is!" His mother piped up happily. Rachel smiled awkwardly at that. Chad's parents were awfully... _sprightly_.

Chad's father thumped his son heartily on the shoulder. "Son, you've outdone yourself! This one  _actually_  looks like an honor student! Well, the other one seemed wholesome enough...what was her name?"

"Roxy?" Rachel tried to supply helpfully. Unfortunately, that wasn't the correct answer and Chad went back to having his forehead meet the sleek wood varnish of the table. Harder this time. Which was enough to make Rachel's hot cocoa shake violently in place.

His mother blinked at her. "Who's Roxy?"

"Roxy? Never heard of her. No, it started with an 'S' I think...or was it 'C'?" His father rubbed his square like chin and then, like a ton of bricks, it hit Rachel. She covered her mouth and stared apologetically at Chad. Maybe he didn't want his parents to know about Roxy.

Chad's forehead was three sizes too red that day.

* * *

"I'm so sorry about that, Chad." Rachel frowned as they finally stopped in front of the building. Chad was uncharacteristically silent about the whole ordeal. "I really am. I didn't know."

"It's fine." He growled, more angry at the fact that his old junk motorcycle helmet wouldn't clip off fast enough. Rachel mistook that for anger on her part and fell silent, giving his middle the occasional sympathy squeeze until he turned off the engine.

His mother became increasingly distressed when Rachel mentioned Roxy, wondering if Chad broke the poor girl's heart or if she was just as scary and demanding as the last one. Or worse, why he didn't bother to invite her while they were dating. And then when his father chimed in about responsibility and then onto a tirade about the birds and the bees? It was a very awkward experience for both of them.

But Rachel was good at fixing conflicts, so she tried a gentler approach for his forgiveness. "Please let me make it up to you." She fixed him her best puppy dog look once she was off the bike and onto the snow. Sometimes when she used it, he'd scoff and walk away. Other times, he caves. She hoped this time was the latter.

Chad fixed her a dispassionate stare right back, refusing to give in. He only gave in 'once' and that was only because she used the guilt card on him. If she thought he was going to fall for that face again...

She brought her hands together, trying to look as lost and miserable as possible. "Pleeease forgive me! I'll do anything!"

Anything? "Kiss me."

It would be an exaggeration if he said that she jumped three feet back. She jumped at least around five. "W-what is wrong with you?!" She spluttered angrily, dropping her façade.

"Hey, you said you'd do ' _anything_ '," He taunted, placing his helmet on the seat. "You should know better than to offer reparations you won't afford, Ms. Lawyer." Another thought hit him and his grin turned feral. "It's our six month anniversary anyways."

"What anniversary? I've only known your pathetic butt in the last six months!"

He snapped his fingers and she growled at how smug he was making everything seem. "Exactly."

"You slime ball! What about Roxy?!" She said in disapproval.

"Jade."

Rachel stared at him in disbelief. "You gotta be kidding me. That's the  _third_  one since I've known you!"

Chad allowed himself to be smug. It was the holidays after all. "Well you know how picky I am about girls. Once Roxy started calling Christmas  _x-mas_  I just knew it wasn't meant to be."

"You're horrible. Even when you joke." Personally, she found Roxy scary. Scary and very angry. How Chad managed to break up with her with all his limbs intact was biggest mystery of them all. "Is Jade...more passionate than Roxy?"

He looked up, pretending to think hard on an answer. "Define 'passionate'. Do you mean is her personality's as aggressive as Roxy's, or are you wondering if she's a good kisse-"

"Never mind. Forget I asked."

Chad swung a leg back over his bike and jumped the gas pedal, causing the bike to loudly growl back to life. "So are ya gonna follow through with my demands, or are you just gonna stand there like an idiot while I drive-"

It was just a tease, another way of getting under McKenzie's skin as payback for the crazy thing with his parents. But she gripped her hands into fists and then looked wildly around before quickly coming back to him, as if afraid that his new girlfriend would pop up any minute and kill her.

He didn't expect her to  _actually_  do it.

Her gloved fingers grasped the front of his jacket and lifted him off the bike a fraction, looking deathly scared but determined. One of her best strengths was that she always followed through with her promises, something he had come to admire of all the time he had known her. KND and out. Soft warm lips pressed a bit sloppily against the corner of his own and it felt like time had stopped from there. Or it was obscenely fast because as soon as he felt the slight pressure on his cheek, it went as quickly as it came.

When he was able to rub two brain cells together to figure out what the heck just happened, she was halfway into the building, the only evidence of what just happened was the heavy blush of her cheeks.

"...I'll, uh...pick you up in a couple of hours then." He said lamely, watching with a strange acuteness as she ducked her head out the door to answer back.

"J-just don't be late like last time!" She shouted back, running into building and out of sight.

Chad sat there in the parking lot longer than necessary. Shaking his head, he strapped his helmet on again and finally zoomed off.

* * *

An auburn haired teenager no older than thirteen loudly clicked her bubblegum, bringing a pair of binoculars up to watch the store from her perch in the adjacent bush. The store was bustling for a while, most of them being adults. Adults, however, weren't their targets. Sure, their purchases would most likely be expensive, but even they couldn't do anything with them. She was petty, but not stupid.

"Duh...how about that one?!" A large bumbling teen snickered to her right, pointing to a couple happily walking out of the store. "I bet they gots some expensive things!"

"Yer stupid or somethin', Little John?" She snorted, smacking him upside the head. That was a great feat, seeing as he could barely fit in his own bush as it is. "We're not going after adults!"

"We're not?"

Growling, she bonked him on the head with her binoculars. "Ye want a one-way trip ter juvie, be my guest ye oaf! Look fer teens!  _Teens_!"

Little John rubbed his head ruefully. "Y'mean like dem ones going in?" She quickly put the binoculars back on, seeing a gaggle of teenagers make their way inside. A slow grin appeared on her face.

"Well boys, looks like we got ourselves a target!" She looked over her shoulder, signaling the others. "You ready Merry Boys?!"

A group of teenage boys dressed in green approached them, all sporting evil grins. And when another teen pulled up in his bike and walked right on in, her grin only got bigger.

"Let's show 'em they can't keep anything expensive with Robin Hood and 'er Merry Boys on the prowl!" She popped her gum loudly.

Unbeknownst to them, a young man had situated himself in a nearby tree, watching the group down below plot no good things. "Make your move, Hood. It'll be your last heist for the season!"

* * *

It took Chad another good minute to unhook his helmet. He was ready to just toss the sucker into the nearest trash bin where it belonged. "Stupid thing..." He grumbled, propping the bike up and swinging off of it. Maybe he should've gotten a car instead. He was pretty sure they didn't require helmets.

The shop he went to was small business. With his salary, he couldn't go get super fancy custom orders from Tiffany's and really, why would he bother? This was cheaper. However, his recipient was of a fancier cloth. It would probably be easy to spot that it wasn't of real silver or something.

Or at least, he hoped it was real silver when he walked in to pick it up. It was still expensive and he wasn't in the mood to get gipped out of his own hard-earned cash. Chad settled near a glass case of what looked like custom high school rings, taking a special interest on what looked like state final football MVP ones. Once the old man had finished ringing up a customer, he beamed at Chad and waved him over.

"Ah, yes I remember you! Your order was one of the hardest break even on, y'know?" The old man gestured at a case filled with holiday jewelry. "Looking for something to match it? 'Tis the season!"

Chad didn't even bother looking at the case. "I've already spent enough on the order. Any more and I'm pretty sure I'd get flagged by the guys for spoiling the girl."

The old man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, point taken. She won't be disappointed that's for sure! One of my best work. Almost afraid to sell it off, actually. It'd be a showstopper to put on display-"

"Just give it to me already before you go and start hoarding it off instead." Chad said in a bored deadpan, drumming his gloved fingers on the glass. With what he saw was reluctance, the old man retreated to the back, returning a second later with a thin dark velvet case.

Chad tried to reach for it. The old man slapped his hand before setting the case down. "Honestly! Patience young man! You could tarnish it if you touch it wrong, y'know!"

With a grumble, he raised his hands up, initiating surrender. Satisfied, the old man slowly opened the case. It was so bright and shiny, Chad had to blink a couple of times to make sure it actually existed. He wasn't the only one. Soon, the rest of the store had paused in their browsing to take a look at it, many oohing and ahhing at the custom design. Chad wisely shut it in case the other shoppers got funny ideas.

"How much again?"

* * *

The heist was going to be easy. Get in, demand their goods, escape. Robin Hood was never one for fancy-schmancy elaborate plans. "On my mark!" She shouted, pulling out a bow and a quiver of arrows with little plungers stuck to them. Drawing one against her bow, she shot her arrow at the shop, the plunger sticking to the glass door. Pulling at the rope attached, she opened the door from there, signaling her boys to launch a slew of arrows into the shop.

"FYAR!"

As teens inside started to freak out at being struck by toy arrows, Robin Hood and her Merry Boys charged in, arrows ready. "This here's a stick-up!" She yelled out over her green hoodie. "Drop all yer stuff and we'll let ye go courtesy of Robin Hood and her Merry Boys!"

Little John pounded his large fist into his hand menacingly. "Heh...what she said! Stick up!"

One girl leaned toward her boyfriend. "Hey, are they elves? They're kinda rude."

"SHUT YER YAP AND HAND OVER YER STUFFS!" Robin Hood aimed her arrow at the couple. "Ye don't need 'em! All yer stoopid rich moneys could be put to better use instead of ovahpriced trinkets but noooooo! Ye had to be greedy! Well cough 'em up cuz each end of these arrows have been dipped in garbage! Ye wanna smell like garbage?!" She smiled as teens left and right fumbled to hand them their packages, nudging at one of her men to collect them into a big bag.

All except for one.

"Oh, savin' the best fer last, are ye?" Robin Hood taunted, aiming her arrow at the blond-haired teen. "I saw what ye got! I'm afraid yer girlfriend is just gonna have ta do without! Now hand over yer package!"

The older teen regarded her with something akin to annoyance. He was going to be a difficult one, she knew it already. "If you think I'm going to let you rob  _me_ , you're stupider than I thought."

"HEY! You don't talk to our leader like that!" Little John growled, stamping his way towards the teen. He easily towered over him, but the defiant teen just stared coolly at him. "Hand over yer stuff or yer gonna pay!"

"Who's gonna make me?" Chad grinned darkly. "You? That little brat you call a leader?" And then his grin changed to a determined scowl. "I'd like to see you _try._ " And just as Little John looked to his leader for orders, Chad grabbed his helmet and swung as hard as he could at the big oaf's head with a satisfying smack.

Little John roared, stumbling back in surprise before heavy kick to the chest had him tossed onto the carpet, dazed and moaning. Robin Hood and her boys stared in shock before she shook out of it. "BOYS! FYAR!"

Chad flipped backwards behind the cases, waiting until their ammo was depleted before going on the offensive. The teen bystanders started to run for it, dodging the arrows as they escaped from the store. Once the smoke cleared and many of their ammo was wasted, Chad emerged from the cases, grinning devilishly.

" _My_  turn."


	8. Year One - Gratitude II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas miracles can happen anywhere, anytime. Part two of two.

**Year One**  – Gratitude (Part Two)

"How much did you see?" Rachel demanded, not happy with the idea being spread that she was a boyfriend stealer, because she was  _not_. He was the one who wanted the stupid kiss. And it was just a kiss. Wasn't even on the mouth or anything. And it was under duress. And it wasn't like they were going to go out or anything-

Lily looked at her with puzzlement before responding. "Jeez, take it easy. I just saw you talking to him. You know how the coach is. She won't give us even two seconds to ourselves during the exercise routine." Rachel closed her eyes and took in a breath of relief, returning to her stretching.

"Where'd you get him anyways? He's cute." Lily giggled, stretching her legs into a split.

"Dad bought him. He's my bodyguard." Rachel said dismissively, flipping backward off a balance beam and onto the mat. The coach applauded the execution, but told her to focus when she made the stick. Making a face, she climbed back onto the beam to try again.

Her friend paused in mid-stretch. "No kidding. You too? So lucky. All I've got for a bodyguard is this mean old lady. At least you've got something to look at when you're bored."

Rachel snorted, allowing herself to smirk. "That's all he's really good for. Just to look pretty."

* * *

"YOU'RE DEAD MEAT, TWERP!" Chad growled, tossing the last of Robin Hood's 'Merry Boys' into the pavilion's fountain. They were amateur fighters and even worse villains. But they were mooks and they were used exactly as intended. They kept him busy while Robin Hood made off with the loot, including his own order that he had to leave behind to deal with the brats.

He'd have applauded her for her audacity if he wasn't so mad. And as she attempted to drive off in some sort of makeshift motor scooter with Little John at the helm, the boy watching from the trees flipped off and onto Chad's bike just as the blond teen gunned the engine to give chase.

"Get the heck off my bike, kid!" But the dark-haired teen shook his head.

"Drive, sir. I'll help you catch her." Chad had no time to kick him off, begrudgingly accepting his help and slamming on the gas pedal once more to give chase. He couldn't attack while driving at the same time anyways. It was almost reminiscent of his days in the KND. Almost.

But the way the younger boy spoke was what caught Chad's attention. It was carefully controlled and very familiar. However, the boy was dressed up in a dark hoodie like Robin Hood's so he couldn't get a good look. And as they swerved between cars to catch up, the boy seemed determined to catch her.

And an enemy of your enemy was a comrade. For now.

"Go faster ye stoopid oaf!" Robin growled, kicking Little John's side for incentive. She pulled out another arrow from her quiver, this time the tip had a firecracker instead of a plunger. Lighting it up, she aimed and fired at their pursuers.

"Hold on tight, kid!" Chad said, leaning heavy onto his left. The bike dipped at the weight and the firecracker missed them by a few inches. It hit the group of Merry Boys trying to flank them instead, causing an explosion of sparks as they sped off.

Robin gritted her teeth. These weren't normal teens. Not by a long shot. "Tch! Lose them already, Little John!" They nicked off the road and into an alleyway with Chad in hot pursuit.

"You just gonna sit there and enjoy the ride or are you gonna do something already?!" Chad snapped over his shoulder. The covered boy only nodded and stood up in his seat, wielding something almost...2x4 tech. The boy aimed and fired, a long rope following the trajectory of the ammo.

"Ha!" Robin shouted back, seeing freedom at the end of the alley. "Nice ter know ya, morons-huh?!" A large plunger with a rope attached smacked the back-end of their scooter. "NO!"

As Chad caught on and slid off to an abrupt stop, the masked boy pulled once the rope was taut, causing the entire scooter and it's inhabitants to be flown off and into a giant row of garbage bags.

Just her luck. It wasn't fair! She was then suddenly pulled up by the scruff of her hoodie, meeting face to face with the older blond teen. He looked livid.

"Enough of your games! Hand over what you stole or I'll make the rest of your trip to juvie  _very_  painful." Robin began to tear up at the threat, wiggling desperately to get free.

"Lemme go! C'mon! It's the holidays, show some mercy, please?!"

Chad shook her hard. "The gift. Where's the gift?!"

"It's in the bag! I swear!"

Little John had his hands up in the air, staring down the barrel of the masked boy's weapon. He kicked the large bag of stolen jewelry towards him.

"Justice is served." The boy said gravely, picking up the bag. "I will take care of her now, sir." Reluctantly, Chad let her go.

Robin angrily brushed a banana peel off her sleeve. "Stoopid boys, yer good fer nothing-!" That caused Chad to pause.

"What did you say?" He frowned. Her accent was loud and recognizable.  _Irish_.

"I SAID ye stoopid boys are good fer  _nothing_! Do ye have corn stuck in yer ears or something?!" Chad wrenched off the girl's green hoodie much to her protest, recognizing those familiar wavy red locks.

"...Numbuh 86?!"

Fanny shoved him. "Who are ye calling number 86?! Is that how ye stoopid boys count the girls ye beat up or something?! Am I the 86th person ye taken down?! Slime ball!"

It had been almost a half of year. And she was a part of Rachel's last age group for decommissioning this year. His expression changed from angered disbelief to a kind of pity. If the old Numbuh 86 could see herself now, turned into a petty teen villain, what would she think? Worse, what would the old Numbuh 362 think if she saw her best friend like this?

"I understand your plight, Fanny, but really, do you have to go this route?" The masked boy said, his tone pitied. "Stealing from your own age group."

Fanny's cheeks burned at the mention of her real name. "I dun need yer stoopid pity! I do what I want, when I want! Do you know who I am?! I'm Robin Hood! The best teen thief since Sticky-Finger Jane! I steal from the stoopid rich kids and give back to the poor!"

"You're not exactly the best thief if you're caught so easily." Chad taunted. Old comrade or not, she had stolen from him and almost got away with it. He was going to have to turn her in. "And who are you, exactly?" He demanded from the masked boy.

"Ah, forgive me. I haven't properly introduced myself." The masked boy took off his dark hood, revealing a teen similar in age to Fanny. His dark hair and stern features gave him away pretty easily if you were a KND operative. "Staff Sergeant Drilovsky. Commander in Echo class. Part of Hendry Junior High's JROTC program. Soldier by school day, bounty hunter for trade."

Numbuh 60. Another honorably decommissioned operative.

Fanny groaned, slapping her forehead. "Not you! Ye, ye stubborn stoopid-"

"Robin Hood and her Merry Boys like to rob during the holidays. Her first heist was on Halloween. Not exactly something memorable, but she took something special from one of our seniors in the chain of command. Her bounty had been put up ever since." Patton paced a bit, shoulders straight and proud. "I know you, Mr. Dickson. You're quarterback of the junior varsity football team. Highly commendable player with a decent throwing arm. Stats are seven touchdowns at average per season with fifty-two yards in the-"

"So what? You gonna turn her in for the bounty?" Chad interrupted. "I don't really care so long as I get what belongs to me."

Patton nodded, searching through the bag. "Of course. And, while I get Ms. Fulbright in custody, I'll be happy to return the rest of the stolen items."

"Whatever." Chad took the velvet case, opening it up to make sure it wasn't damaged. It glittered as magnificently as ever. He pocketed it. That was when Fanny threw herself at him, grabbing onto his jeans for dear life.

"Don't let him collect my bounty! Please!" She begged. "I dun wanna spend the holidays in some detention centar! I've got a little brother with no presents! My dad's got a case of sleeping foot! My mom's-"

"Get off!" He tried shaking her off, but to no avail. Patton continued to look at her with pity. "You reap what you sow, Ms. Fulbright."

"Wait a moment." A thought hit Chad. Here was two of Rachel's old best friends back in the KND, conveniently here. In complete coincidence. "Would she get off time served if she did community service?"

Patton frowned, rubbing his chin. "You want her to repay the community?"

Chad let out a very smug grin. "Yeah. I know someone in the community in  _dire_  need of her services..."

* * *

When Chad drove back to pick Rachel up from her session, she was sitting on the curb with a few of her classmates. They seemed to be in an animated conversation. There was fresh snow all around them but neither moved to pick some up and throw it at one another. Or make snow angels. They were too old to mess around. They could get wet and sick.

His bike naturally loud, the girls on the curb watched him turn into the parking lot. One of them nudged Rachel and the rest giggled. A lazy smirk was on his lips when he pulled up coolly in a parking space near them, taking his time to unhook the extra helmet. "Ladies." He greeted with a charming smile, turning off the engine. As expected, everyone except Rachel giggled and waved at him. The girl next to her bumped her again.

"Definitely cute." Lily snickered into her ear. Rachel swatted her away, quickly jumping off the curb and bounding toward her ride.

Chad handed her the helmet and settled himself back in as she swung her leg over. "How was the session?"

A bit surprised by his non-teasing question, she quickly buckled her helmet in and wound her arms stiffly around his middle. "Fine. Why do you ask?"

"Fine? That's the answer your giving me? At least describe your session. I wouldn't mind hearing how your girlfriends limbered up." His answer was typical, but it calmed her down. He was back to teasing and it made things seem less awkward.

She squeezed his middle, this time comfortably. "Creep." He just chuckled, gunning the engine again as they made their way off onto the street. Rachel waved at Lily and her classmates before they turned into a curb and out of sight.

* * *

"Is this for me?"

"No, it's for Constance, your maid."

Rachel poked his leg with the back-end of her pencil. "I knew it. I warned her about you, you know. She doesn't like younger guys if you're trying to butter her up now."

They were situated in the study, trying to get warm as they were caught in a heavy snowstorm on the way home. As soon as they made a break for the mansion, they bypassed everything for the giant fireplace situated there, hovering around the roaring fire as her butler complained about the snow they tracked inside.

And while Rachel propped herself happily on the expensive rug to get started on her vacation homework, Chad had screwed around with his bag on the couch, deliberating over whether or not to hand over the gift that had been an extreme pain in the butt to get. After ten minutes of Rachel complaining over the 'noise' he was making, he tossed the velvet case at her head, much to her surprise.

"Are you gonna open it or do I  _really_  have to give it to your maid?" He asked dryly, watching with increased agitation as she carefully examined the case. She treated it like it was a bomb waiting to explode or something.

Rachel ran a finger against the seam, a bit confused and...well, embarrassed as she lifted the lid. It looked, felt,  _seemed_  like some kind of jewelry. And really, she didn't know why he was giving her such a thing. They weren't exactly joined at the hip by choice. As he watched, he understood why she looked so conflicted. He wasn't exactly sure why he got it either.

It was simple, but elegant. Just like her. Rachel examined the beautiful silver bangle, the thick side carefully depressed and edged into numerous stars. While not diamonds, each star had a single white crystal in the middle, adding a shimmering look to the modernized bracelet.

But what stunned her the most was the highly detailed crescent moon in the middle and, cradled inside it's curve, a single tree. It was odd to see it but somehow impeccably right. "It's...wow, Chad. I don't know what to say." It seemed awfully personal for a Christmas gift, especially since their interaction was borderline strained at best.

Chad shrugged. "Think of it as a thank you gift. You did save my butt a few months ago, didn't you? And...it's kinda for giving your stuffed lamb to Roxy at the fair. Figured I had to repay you for that."

She reverently rubbed her thumb against the depression of the moon. "Why is there a tree on the moon though?"

He expected this question. "Growth? Maybe. It came that way." He lied, carefully watching her expressions. If there was a chance that the decommissioning didn't work he was going to take advantage of everything he could, Infinity be damned.

Staring as long as possible at the little tree, she eventually clasped the bangle around her wrist, snug just right. "I can perform in this!" Rachel smiled happily at him, shaking her wrist to test it out. The bangle remained in place, which was good because her coach was adamant against dangling jewelry. She'd rather not take it off in the good chance someone would steal it. "I..." Well, she never got a gift from anyone that wasn't family before. At least one so personal.

But it was beautiful. Stunning. She rolled it around her wrist, even more embarrassed and confused. What was the right response to such gratitude? Should she hug him? Shake his hand? With Chad, she couldn't tell. "Thank you." She could honestly say, staring up at him and smiling.

He smiled back. It was just a simple quirk of his lips, but that seemed to make her own smile brighter.

And before they could even expect it, a heavy chip was marked against that brick wall between them, until it pushed a single brick out. It was small, but it was significant. They could peek into the other side and see the other. And surprisingly enough, that made things even more satisfying.

"Chad..." She lifted her shoulder sweetly, playing coy. Chad was too busy admiring her smile to notice something amiss.

"Yeah?"

He jumped back in surprise when Rachel tossed her pencil at him hard. "YOU DID  _WHAT_  TO MY LAMB?!"

* * *

Numbuh 5 thumbed through Numbuh 363's file, still in disbelief. "Are you sure it's him?"

"Positive," Her new Global Tactical Officer, Numbuh 478, nodded severely. "From KND Intelligence themselves. Think of it as a Christmas gift from them. They nearly compromised further investigations with Canada's sect of undercover operatives to forgo a connection to the attacks. Harvey was smart, but not clever enough to hide from us."

The Supreme Leader sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I just... _Harvey_? Really? This was Numbuh 362's  _brother_  for Zero's sake!"

Numbuh 478 stood in parade rest. He was more strict than Fanny, but less volatile. She had been a bit suspicious to let Global Command pick out a replacement once Fanny left, but he seemed adamant to help her with this case load. And she wasn't crazy enough to turn down anyone willing to lessen the burden of this investigation. "Numbuh 363 has had disciplinary problems before. You are not surprised? His group did have the highest mission success rate this year. He fits the M.O."

"His sister was attacked during one of those 'incidents' though. Why would he want to hurt his own sister?"

"Intel wouldn't say, sir. But their evidence is solid, even if it hasn't been explained fully." Numbuh 478 shifted in his stance. "And since Numbuh 363's capture, the incidents have cropped up less. You do realize this, right?"

He had a point. A very depressing point. She eventually placed a large red stamp on 363's file, labeling it as a dishonorable decommission and handed it back to Numbuh 478. "You have your orders then, Numbuh 478."

Taking the file, he nodded. "Merry Christmas, sir."

Abby moved out of her seat and towards the window, letting out a heavy breath and watching it fog up Earth through the glass. "Merry Christmas."

* * *

It was probably snowing back home. The KNN weather bulletin said they were expecting heavy snowfall in her region overnight. Many overnight operatives took the earliest shuttle home, leaving Moonbase bare of rampaging children except for the skeleton crew too adamant to leave their posts remained. Their Supreme Leader was one of them. And while Harvey had been captured and awaiting decommissioning for his ties to this rebellion, her work was far from over.

KND Intelligence were just as tight lipped as ever, very reluctant to compromise the already fragile state of their operatives undercover to warrant another sweeping investigation to find Harvey's comrades. And when she asked for the teen operative files for cross referencing, they all but slammed the door on her face.

She understood the security risks, but she needed to stop what seemed to be rogue operatives trying to cowboy their way to justice regardless of who's in their wake. Just because Harvey was gone didn't mean it would end. Someone will take his place. The number of incidents seemed to double over the last six months and, with the insisting of her new Global Tactical Officer, cracked down hard on suspicious groupings. By the end of November, she had lit a fire under every operative's behind who engaged in suspicious activity outside of their sectors.

And in doing so, her popular opinion had reached an all-time low. Abby stuffed her hands into her jeans, staring out the window of the empty bridge at Earth. She wished she hadn't taken the job, wished that Numbuh 362 was still here to take over instead.

She wished that Numbuh 1 was still here and their team hadn't disbanded.

"Hey Supreme-o Leader!"

Abby turned, seeing a darkened image of Numbuh 2 waving at her through her sunglasses. "Numbuh 2? What are you doing here? Numbuh 5 thought you took a shuttle home for Christmas hours ago!"

Hoagie just grinned and shrugged, joining her on the deck. "Eh...what's Christmas dinner anyways? Me and Numbuh 180 spent two weeks on this new starship we're working on. It's just blueprints right now seeing as  _someone_  forgot to sign off on our budget months ago."

She groaned and slapped her forehead. "I'm sorry, Numbuh 2. I can't believe I forgot!"

"No biggie. The department's already too busy for it anyways. Something about an internal investigation sweep dragging our case load." Hoagie popped an eyebrow at that, knowing exactly what was going on. Abby groaned again.

"Well, at least  _someone's_  doing the investigating around here. All this red tape is really giving Numbuh 5 a headache."

Hoagie's expression turned serious. "How's that going? Still can't find who's doing this?"

She declined to talk about Numbuh 363. "It's called  _politics_ , Numbuh 2. All the stiffs up here are more concerned with covering their own butts than helping out with rebels. Can't even touch Intelligence without a warrant from the KND Supreme Court and even  _they_  are worried about touching them." Abby bumped her forehead hard against the window. "I feel like this whole organization is slipping through my fingers."

They stood there in silence. "I wish Numbuh 1 was here." Abby finally vocalized her express wish.

"Me two." Hoagie agreed quietly.

"Me three!" Someone said loud and cheerfully. The two operatives turned in surprise, finding Kuki Sanban bounding toward them, dressed in her Christmas best. Another operative followed closely, decked out in military fatigues. "Me  _four._ "

Abby smiled at them. "Numbuh 3! Numbuh 4!"

Kuki crashed into them both, hugging her two friends hard. "Hello Numbuh 2! Numbuh 5! Have a merry, happy, super, awesome, wheeeeee Christmas!" She sang, hopping on her heels. "It's a time to be sharing-for CARING!"

"Ugh, knock it off Kuki, will you?" Wally groaned in disgust, setting his heavy backpack down. "I had to hear that cruddy Rainbow Monkey Christmas song all the way to Moonbase!" He turned and saluted Numbuh 5. "Sir!"

"Hey, Numbuh 4," Numbuh 2 teased. "Sure explains the complaints I got a half hour ago. They said some shortie went into a nervous breakdown and nearly crashed a shuttle into Dock 25."

Wally grinned at his old friend. "Ha! Some intel you got! I was on that  _exact_  same shuttle and I didn't see any short-HEY!" Kuki giggled into her sleeve.

"What are all of you guys doing here though? It's Christmas Eve!" Abby smiled, happy to be around her old friends and comrades again. It felt like some semblance of the old Sector V had reunited.

All except for one.

Kuki bounced happily. "We're your friends, Numbuh 5! You should always spend Christmas with your friends! Even if we don't see each other as much anymore we're still the best of friends right? Right?!" Abby smiled and patted her head.

"You're right, Numbuh 3."

That was when Wally's stomach made a loud gurgling sound. "Ugh...hey, is Numbuh Spare Change for a $20 off base? I'm  _STARVING!_ "

"Yeah, let's see what they've got in the kitchens!" Hoagie agreed, tugging Abby along.

She supposed it wouldn't hurt to go through the fridge there. Leading the way, the former Sector V operatives left the command deck, not noticing Abby's new Global Tactical Officer watching them from the shadows. He pulled out his communicator.

"The Supreme Leader has believed our decoy. 363 is being sent for decommissioning. Tell Him that Global Command has withdrawn further investigations. Proceed as planned."

" _Good work, comrade. Watch Numbuh 5 close."_

Numbuh 478 saluted the figure on-screen. "May you never age."

" _May the aged cease."_


	9. Year Two - Orientation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new school is never easy. Neither are running from monsters. Luckily, help comes in the most unlikely of places.

**Year Two**  – Orientation

Chad was actually glad that Rachel's father had decided to move his daughter's new year as a high school student for McClintock High School. It was easier for him to watch her both on duty and off and her father knew that. It also saved him from having to drive from county to county each day to pick her up from school like he was used to.

So when he arrived at the mansion almost six in the morning to pick her up for orientation, he had expected her to still be asleep in her bed, the maids trying to drag her out for the morning as usual. But this was different. He stopped his bike near the entrance. Rachel was sitting on the steps, impeccable in every way.

"What is that?" He frowned, pointing at her uniform. Rachel raised an eyebrow.

"No 'hello' or 'How are you, fair maiden? Are you excited for your first day of high school?'"

He tore off his new helmet, (a very generous Christmas gift from a certain girl in her old school uniform), and rubbed his face. "You wanna get socially killed?! Why are you wearing your school uniform, McKenzie?"

She didn't think it was that bad. She thought she looked rather becoming of her stature to wear her school uniform. "I know McClintock High is a public school, but isn't there a dress code? I always wear a uniform to school."

Chad climbed off his bike, pushing her back into the mansion. "The only dress code in McClintock is to not show too much skin! Now get your butt back in your room and dress like a normal girl for once!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Rachel yelped, being pulled up bridal style up the stairs. "Hey! Put me down!" She kicked her legs as they passed Harvey, who looked out the bathroom to see what was up, toothbrush still in his mouth.

"Blegh. Teens."

* * *

Kicking her bedroom door open, Chad forced her into her walk-in closet, tossing her inside and closing the door before she could compose herself. "Get dressed!"

"I  _was_  dressed you Neanderthal!" She shouted from inside. He could hear her furiously stomp over to her wardrobe and pull things from hangers. Chad folded his arms and turned toward the window, tapping his sneaker against the floor impatiently.

"You know, sometimes I wonder if you're really a normal teen, or got delightfulized without me knowing." He snorted, hearing something heavy connect with the closet door.

Rachel huffed and compared shirts, confused over what he was saying. "There's no such word as 'delightfulized', Dickson."

"Whatever."

With an aggravated sigh, she tossed a couple of expensive shirts to the floor. "What am I  _supposed_  to be wearing then? This was so much easier in the Academy. One uniform, no hassle."

Seeing a bright blue  _thing_  sticking out, Chad pulled out a Rainbow Monkey hidden under Rachel's pillow and smirked at it. "You're in the shark tank now, McKenzie. What you wear today will decide your future.  _Especially_  at orientation."

"Put that down!" She snarled, causing him to drop the stuffed animal in surprise. He turned, finding Rachel still deep inside the closet. So how did she...?

She finally emerged from the closet and, to his relief, she decided to wear jeans this time. Her top, though...he smacked his forehead. "Why are you wearing  _that_?"

Rachel poked at her long orange turtleneck sweater, which was clasped at the hip by a cute indigo belt. "You don't like it? Your mom made it for me for my birthday."

"Exactly.  _Why_  are you wearing it?" No doubt the color was...well. She definitely looked like the former Supreme Leader in it, not that it was a bad thing. His gaze followed to her wrist, where the silver bangle he gave her was stark against the bright color. She hid the bangle with her hand once she realized what he was really staring at.

"If you think I'm going to take this off, you've got another-"

"Save your breath, McKenzie," He interrupted in a deadpan. The idea that she was defending her right to wear something he had given her was...exhilarating for some reason. "You do realize that what you wear to orientation...people will always think of you in  _that_  outfit, right?"

"I like this outfit. It's comfortable. And fashionable!" Rachel huffed and turned away, moving to the vanity to brush her frazzled hair. It had gotten much longer over the past year and Chad had found that she was beginning to turn heads with her golden locks. A lot of heads. Heads that got flushed down the toilet by Chad himself. He blinked out of his reverie of watching her comb through those silky strands when she addressed him. "What do you think? Should I tie my hair up or down?"

"Do I look like a hairstylist?" He drawled. Rachel glared at him through the mirror.

"You're the expert on orientation. Do they judge you on how you wear your hair?"

Begrudgingly, he acquiesced. "Yeah. Wear it out and you're seen as carefree."

"So I should wear it out then?" She beamed. "Because I am carefree!"

Chad stared at her reflection in disbelief. "Is 'carefree' in your calendar or do you have to pencil it in, Ms. Organized?" Rachel stuck her tongue out at him. "I can be carefree too!"

"But you're blond, so you're reinforcing the stereotype that you're carefree because you're dumb." This time she growled at him, deciding to pull up her hair into a bun. He palmed his face again.

"Really? A  _bun_? Do you wanna look like a teenager or a  _substitute teacher_?"

Rachel paused in mid-clip of her hair. "You know, I'm starting to think you're  _really_  a hairdresser."

"Keep mouthing off, baby. You'll be walking eight blocks to school instead if you're lucky." Chad purred, sitting on her bed and tossing her Rainbow Monkey close to the ceiling fan. She snatched her beloved childhood toy away before it got butchered by the blades, hugging it to her chest. "Stop it!"

In Chad's eyes, Rachel wasn't hot. No way. Not Sapphire hot. Not with his mom's homemade sweater that while tight in the right places, still looked a bit lumpy. Or the dark clips in her hair that kept those golden strands from getting in the way of her still young face. Or even the modest blue jeans tucked neatly into even more adorable brown cowboy boots.

But he had to admit that she was cute in a sense. And lots of guys liked cute girls. His expression darkened at the idea. He'll be on swirly detail for months, he was sure of it.

"Be serious." She pouted at him, hugging the stuffed animal harder. She wanted to make a good impression. "Do I really look that bad?"

He wanted to say yes. Because even if she wore a trash can, people would still turn their heads at her. Not because of what she wore. She was likeable and nice-that combination could actually get her a seat as 9th grade president if she wanted to. He wanted to say yes because he was afraid. There were lots of people at his school that sought out people like her-try to corrupt her. He'd rather have her stay home than have that happen.

"No. You don't look bad. You look fine." He said, trying not to smirk when she practically beamed happily at him. They'll try to ruin her. They could possibly make her cry. He knew people that was fluent in the art of tearing someone's self-confidence down and make them feel like they were less of a person.

When she excitedly turned away to make sure she had everything in her bag, his gaze darkened.

They can  _try._

* * *

The parking lot was full and brimming with teenagers when they pulled up. Chad had told her that she was racking up cool points for entering on a motorcycle and well, she was inclined to believe him. But she didn't care about points. Her eyes were alight with excitement as she saw so many colors, so much variety. People were never dressed the same, sporting their own unique look as they chatted with people both old and new.

It was nothing like her old school.

"Excited?" Chad said as he cut off a car and took a spot in a row of cars labeled 'Juniors'. Before she could open her mouth, the guy he cut off popped his head out of the window and yelled at them angrily. "That's MY spot, Dickson!"

Rachel clung Chad's middle hard at what was looking to be a really bad conflict. But Chad just grinned at the pocked-marked teen and gave him a mocking salute. "Hey Wily! Maybe if you actually did your homework, you would've gotten seniors parking this year instead!" He laughed as Wily growled and drove off, nearly hitting the Freshmen on his way out.

Chad hopped off the bike, rolling his eyes when Rachel looked at him in disapproval. "It's a teen-eat-teen world, McKenzie. You let them roll all over you, you might as well take a seat with the nerds during lunch."

"...teen-eat-teen...? What is this a school, or a zoo?!" She fixed her bag over her shoulder, following him through the crowd of teenagers. All thoughts of politics left her mind however, as she nervously searched for people around her age. She didn't have much friends back in her old school. Hopefully she'll belong somewhere.

They approached a long line ending with a table labeled 'Freshman'. Chad cut them all and brought Rachel to the front. "You can't just cut these people!" Rachel said weakly, hiding her face as the freshmen began to loudly complain. He was trying to ruin her. They're going to remember her as that one girl who cut everybody!

"Quiet. Juniors are nobles." Chad said with disinterest, leaning on the table to smile at his classmate behind it. The girl heading the table stood up and yelled at the line.

"QUIET, you brats! Learn your place!" Much to Rachel's surprise, they all quieted down. "Now, what brings you to the Freshman table, Chad?" The girl smiled, sitting back down.

"Got someone for orientation, Mindy." Chad grabbed Rachel's shoulders and pulled her to Mindy's line of sight. "Didn't want to wait in line and all."

Mindy continued to smile and nod. "Well of course! Nobles don't wait in line, Chad."

"Nobles?" Rachel asked warily. She didn't understand. What was so noble about Chad Dickson?

"You'll learn the school hierarchy soon enough." He said, handing her the forms from the table. "Fill these out while the Sophomore gives you the tour."

"...what sophomore?"

Mindy suddenly whistled to her left and, before Rachel could blink, a boy slightly older than her appeared, straightening his glasses. "You called, my lady?"

"Yeah, give the freshman a tour, will you?" Mindy waved at him dismissively. "Then give Ms...?"

Rachel smiled awkwardly. "Rachel McKenzie."

"Right. Give McKenzie her class schedule then hand her over to Jenna. She'll put her in her proper place."

Proper place? Rachel stared desperately at Chad, who didn't seem the least bit concerned over what was happening. Was this what he meant by a 'social killing' if she had gone in her uniform? Mindy had stared at her outfit for longer than what was necessary and she instantly felt the first pangs of social embarrassment.

Chad seemed to be only concerned at the sophomore of choice. "You couldn't assign her to a girl, Mindy?" He raised an eyebrow.

Mindy only scoffed and flipped her hair back. "Girl nerds are rare pickings, Chad. You and I both know it. Who else is willing to run around during orientation that's  _not_  a freshman?"

"Point taken. Hey! Eyes up, nerd!" Chad growled at the sophomore who was staring at Rachel's chest with something akin to excitement. The sophomore jumped and shook his hands in defense.

"I can't help it!" Wrong answer. Chad grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. "Hey! Easy on the pocket protector!"

Wondering what all the fuss was about, she looked down at her chest. Her  _Doctor Time Space and the Continuums_  commemorative pin was attached to the lapel of her bag strap. She tugged on Chad's sleeve. "Hey! You can't blame the guy. Doctor Time Space is a great show!" Mindy snorted in disdain.

Seeing the pin, he snatched it and pocketed the infernal thing, much to Rachel's protest. "None of this, McKenzie. Not on orientation!"  _Especially_  during orientation. He dropped the sophomore, the poor nerd grumbling about wrinkling his newly pressed pocket tee. He jumped when Chad poked him hard in the chest. "No funny business, sophomore. Just take her, tell her how things work, and then leave her  _alone._ " He'd be damned if the little sleaze tried to recruit her into the nerd clique all for a stupid show. Or worse, leave her in the care of...

"Alright, alright!" The sophomore snapped, then paled when he realized who he was addressing. "Uh...I mean, yes m'lord! Anything you say! Come McKenzie!" Rachel smiled at the poor guy apologetically and then turned to Chad, who was obviously not coming. It was weird knowing that they were going to be separated.

"It's only for a little bit." Chad's hardened gaze softened when she looked at him. Going into high school was nerve-wracking. It was when he went for the first time. "I'll see you after school."

The way she looked so pitifully at him was less annoying and more...compelling. "Why not lunch?" But she may have already answered it on her own. He was a junior. He probably didn't want to be seen with a lowly freshman. His conflicted expression told her that.

His answer surprised her. "We'll see." But before she could turn away and follow, Chad grabbed her arm. "If that nerd does anything funny, you have my number. If you don't make it to home room for some reason, call me."

That confused her. "You make it sound like I'm in danger or something! I'll be fine." Smiling, she turned away from his grip and quickly followed the sophomore, not noticing Chad's serious expression as he intently watched her until she was out of sight.

* * *

"There are four classes in the hierarchy of McClintock High." The sophomore, which she had kindly found out was named Eugene, led her through hallways upon hallways of places, pointing out the rooms and the history of said rooms. "You got the Freshmen, that's you. Sophomores, which is me. Then you've got the Juniors and the Seniors. We've all have our respectable floors of course, makes it easy to navigate to classes."

The Senior hall was glorious. Rachel's eyes widened as she walked past golden lockers and jeweled archways. "It's beautiful!" She said in awe.

"Well of course it's beautiful! It's the Senior hall!" Eugene said as a matter-of-factly. "Seniors are royalty. Well, depends really. You've got the King, the coolest guy in the school and the Queen Bee, the most popular girl. They rule the entire school. It is considered an honor to be graced in their presence." He wagged a finger at her. "And if you should be graced with their presence, always end your answers with 'your majesty'. And  _never_  ask for them! They ask the questions, not you!"

"Okay?" Rachel smiled meekly, finding high school to be so different from her previous ones. "What about the other Seniors?"

"You address them as 'your highness' or 'your grace'," He nodded, ushering her along. "They are less on the hierarchy, but they must still be treated with respect. The Senior class includes the Knights of the Cool Table, they're the King's most prized buddies. You've also got the Queen Bee's group, the Ladies-in-Gossip. Next rank down is the Student Council. They're in charge of formal dances and diplomatic relations. And of course, you've got  _my_  future group, the bestest group of them all! The Grand Wizards!"

Rachel made a face at such a lousy name. "The Grand Wizards?" Eugene then went on a rambling tirade at her rhetorical question, explaining the honor of being part of a collection of nerds looked upon favorably by the royals. She tuned him out as he went on and on about them, leaving the glittering Senior hall and into the Junior one.

"Wow, this one's nice too!" The Junior hall was near similar to the Senior one, only with less jewels and silver tinted lockers. There were some of the Juniors working on their new locker combinations already. They looked extremely regal doing it too.

"Mmm, yes. Not as grand as the seniors, but yes." Eugene said sagely, picking up the pace. "Juniors are the noble class. You will refer to any boy as 'lord' or any girl as 'lady'. There are ranks for the juniors, but not as important as the seniors. The Captain of the Football Team is the leader of this hallway. The Head Cheerleader is the female equivalent."

Rachel blinked. "Wow." So Chad was a Lord then? Just what he needed, another way to inflate his already impressive ego. "Do I have to refer to Chad as a Lord?"

"You mean that guy who nearly had me put into a super humonga-wedgie?" Eugene grumbled, still sore from being manhandled. "Are you his girlfriend?"

She was baffled by the question. "No."

"Then you will refer to him as a lord!"

Rachel snorted. "Great."

The Sophomore hall was very underwhelming in comparison to the others. The lockers were colored in bronze and the walls were bare of any jewels. She started to wonder what the Freshmen hall looked like.

"Now, this is my hall, the Sophomore hall!" Eugene said, leading the way proudly. "This is the springboard to one's future in the higher classes. It's here that will decide how popular you are and sort you appropriately. You will refer to any sophomore as 'sir' or 'ma'am'. We're not exactly ranked, but it is a polite way for you to do so. And you'll get commendations for it!"

"Yes sir."

Eugene grinned at her response. "Oh yes. I think you'll do fine if you know your place. Now we sophomores do have leaders, but they're spread depending on cliques. If you're with say, my clique, your superior would be the Science Fair Extraordinare! And then there's the MVP from the sports clique, Ms. Congeniality from the popular clique, the Head Vampire of the goth clique-"

"-I don't think I would fit in any of those." Rachel frowned, shifting the bag over her shoulder.

"Well what are you interested in?" The question made her pause.

"Well...I'm in gymnastics-"

Eugene raised a finger. "Then you belong to the sports-"

"But I was class treasurer at my old school."

"Well then you could go to the student coun-"

"And I was on the honor roll every year."

"The Overachiever's cliqu-?"

Rachel clapped her hands happily. "And I was quite the concert pianist!"

Eugene opened his mouth and shook his head. "No, no! Pick one. You can't be in all of those cliques at once! That's unpossible!"

"Why not?" The question seemed to stump Eugene for he had stopped flailing and began rubbing his chin.

"B-because its high school law!" He rebutted lamely. "Now enough questions, I'm taking you to the Freshman hall to get your schedule." Rachel folded her arms in disapproval, but followed him.

Freshman hall was...well... _horrible._  Most of the lockers were broken down and rusted, tumbleweeds occasionally bounced down what was practically dirt floors. Rachel startled as one of the light fixtures overhead loosened and nearly hit her on the head, the rest of them flickering in abysmal conditioning.

" _This_  is Freshman hall?" She asked in disbelief, taking a step forward. Eugene slowly began to retreat into the shadows unbeknownst to her. "Are there any ranks at all in the 9th grade?"

"No. There isn't." Eugene said darkly and, when she turned, she found only shadows and his haunting voice reverberating off the cracked walls. "There is only... _Initiation._ "

"W-wha-hey! Where'd you go?!" Rachel spun around, looking for her tour guide. "What initiation?!"

The shadows further down the hallway seemed to flicker, causing her stumble backwards and trip over an upturned trash bin. She began to scramble backwards, only pausing when her back hit something hard. She turned, finding a pair of legs.

"The Initiation,  _freshmeat._ " That was when she looked up, a group of menacing looking teens hovering over her. "9th graders are nothing more than entertainment for us. And maybe, if you survive the Hazing, you'll be strong enough to make it to the 10th grade!"

The biggest one reached for Rachel, grabbing her into a firm head lock and lifting her off her feet. She scratched at his thick arms in panic. "S-stop! Let me go!"

But the leader of the group just laughed, her cackling sharper than the grotesque piercings on her face. "What's the rush, freshmeat? You're just in time for the Hazing!"

"T-the Hazing?" Rachel managed to squeak out, fighting a futile battle in the mook's grip.

The leader folded her arms. "Did that dork Eugene tell you nothing about the Hazing? Well, I suppose I'm in a good mood for a little lesson. You and your little freshmen gets pounded for an entire  _year._  It's tradition, after all."

No, that couldn't be right. Chad would've told her about this! Wouldn't he? "Please l-let me go! I have to get my schedule and m-meet Jenna! That's all, honest!" They were bullies. Rachel could tell easily. Maybe not the standard bullies she was used to back in the day, but bullies were the same everywhere.

"Jenna?" The leader laughed. "Well now, it looks like you're right on schedule! The boys call me  _Jen_ , though." Grinning at their new prey's horrified expression, she let out another evil laugh. "You ready to finish your orientation, freshmeat?!"

Her cellphone was in her bag. If she could just get free and call Chad... Rachel began to squirm angrily, slowly forcing the bag to slide down her arm. Jen moved to face her, revealing her gloved fist with spiked rings on it. Rachel gasped at the sight.

"Any last words, freshmeat?"

She took deep breaths, reminding herself of the way Chad had calmed her down at the fair. She had to concentrate, or she was going to crash along with the compartment. This one was no different.

The strap of her bag finally slipped into her hand. "Just...one word." She brought her legs up and kicked as hard as she can down her captor's knees, forcing her up. " _Duck._ "

Jen blinked. "Duck? What kind of stupid-"

With all the force she could muster, Rachel slammed her head backwards, causing her captor to howl in pain as her skull made contact with his nose. He quickly stumbled back, dropping her to the floor. As Jen stared in surprise, Rachel swung her bag and smacked Jen right in the face, sending her sprawling.

With the rest of Jen's gang continuing to stare in shock, Rachel pulled the bag over her shoulder, phone in hand. "I did say 'duck', didn't I?" She quirked an eyebrow and smiled impishly, jumping over Jen's prone form and making a break for it.

Growling angrily, Jen sat back up, her face bright red from the attack. "What are you morons just standing around for?! I WANT THAT GIRL NOW!"

Oh boy. She had done it now. She didn't even know she could do that! Rachel stopped in mid-sprint, surprised that she not only managed to get away, but took down  _two of them_  in the process. Staring at her own hands as if she was unsure they were her's, taunts and yells from behind startled her. They weren't done with her yet. Opening her phone, she quickly dialed Chad's number, trying to make a break for the Junior Hall.

* * *

Chad had been in the teacher's lounge sitting for an extra super secret meeting with the Teen Ninjas and the few evil teachers left in the school when his phone began to ring during Ms. Finkerstein's rant about spit balls. Ignoring them, he flipped open his phone, paling when he saw Rachel's name on the caller ID.

"I'm afraid I'll have to take this outside, Ms. Finkerstein. It's from Father." That seemed to appease them, for they cowered instantly and ushered him out. With a grin, he slipped outside, his façade changing completely once he was in the safety of the lockers. "McKenzie," He said urgently into his cell. "What's wrong?"

Her lack of a breath startled him, as if she was running or something. "C-chad, there's...I'm being chased!"

"Where are you?"

It sounded like she was quickly looking around before answering. "I don't know!"

"Who's chasing you?" He asked impatiently, already on the move.

The line suddenly clicked dead, but he had heard enough from the shrill scream in the background. Jen and the Punks. He had hoped that the Hazing wouldn't begin until after orientation. But Jen was always eager to get on with tradition, especially when it meant beating 9th graders down.

He didn't really need to know where she was. He had a tracker placed into her cellphone the minute her father handed it to her for Christmas. Opening up the scanner on his phone, he traced her cell to the Sophomore Hall. The moving blips were on the way to the Junior Hall. Smart girl. What better to find him than in the Junior Hall?

But appearances needed to be had and Chad couldn't just go and stop her Hazing. If he was seen aiding a freshman, the social reputation he had built up to get in with the higher caliber of evil teens would be ruined.

On his way, he stopped by the freshmen home room, kicking the door open. The teacher wasn't there yet and many of the students immediately shrunk at his presence, no doubt already experiencing the beginnings of the Initiation. He pointed at two of them. "You and you.  _Come with me._ "


	10. Year Two - Initiation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The high road is not usually the easiest to take, but it yields the greatest of rewards at the end of it.

**Year Two**  – Initiation

Rachel had lost her cellphone when she accidentally slammed into the varsity football team, the group of older teens so monstrous that they most likely didn't even see her crash into them, let alone feel her doing so. She bounced onto the floor from the impact, her cell crushed under an unwitting foot of one of the behemoths.

"There she is!" Jen shouted from far off. "I want her alive! I'm gonna skin this one so bad, her pretty mug's gonna be a memory!" Startled, Rachel jumped back up and continued to run, trying to gain enough ground as possible until she could find Chad.

She wasn't even sure that he was located in the Junior Hall. But it was her best bet. Or so help her...

But the blond girl wasn't familiar with the floor plan of the school and eventually, what she thought was a way to the Junior Hall ended up being a dead-end. She tried turning back, only to find Jen and her group already rounding the corner. Rachel backed up into the wall, nowhere to run.

And Jen knew it for her grin was very unpleasant. "Seems like your luck's just ran out, freshmeat." Wanting to savor the moment, she slowly approached her, delighting in the way Rachel began to shake in fear.

"I was totally joking about the duck bit," Rachel tried to appease, letting out an awkward laugh. "Y'know, freshmen jitters and all. Can't blame a girl, right?"

Jen pretended to consider this, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "You make a good point. Alright then. We'll knock you out a bit faster than intended, how's that, freshmeat?"

Rachel raised her palms up in defense. "I-I'd rather not be knocked out, really. Can't we start over? Maybe a handshake, uh...fashion tips?" She eyed Jen's piercings with slight apprehension.

"You can't smooth talk your way out of this, freshmeat." Jen cracked her knuckles, her boys snickering in excitement. "An eye for an eye. A face," She snarled and pointed at her reddened face. "For a  _face."_

"FACE THIS!" An unfamiliar voice shouted from behind. Jen and her group barely had time to turn before they were struck with something. It was only when Jen keeled backwards did Rachel see an arrow attached to her forehead, a small plunger keeping it stationary.

But it wasn't the plunger she was focusing on. Soon, the arrow began to smoke something foul and the closed hallway began to become blinding from the fumes. Rachel pulled her sweater over her nose as a shadow approached and grabbed her.

"Time to go, Ms. McKenzie!" Another unfamiliar voice said. This one, however, was male and very controlled in his words. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, she followed him. It was better than staying around for Jen to recover.

They emerged from the smoke and Rachel finally saw who shot those arrows. A red-headed girl around her age lowered her bow, looking her over critically. "This is 'er? Good. Looks like we got 'ere before them Punks tore 'er a new one, eh?"

"Who are you?" Rachel blurted out, being tugged again as they made a break back to the Freshman Hall.

"Yer saviors, what do ya think?!" The red-head snarled back, pulling another arrow from her book bag. How she managed to keep such weaponry in such a small bag was beyond Rachel's comprehension. The boy said nothing, though his gaze was much kinder when he finally looked at her when they started climbing down the steps.

There were so many questions she wanted to ask them for they seemed like they were more knowledgeable with what was happening than she was. Did they know about Initiation too? Where are the other freshmen? Why was an Irish girl carrying a bow and arrow around with her to school? Where were the teachers? What the heck was going on around here?

And when she did ask these questions, this time to the kind looking boy, she only got a quirk of his eyebrow and a grin.

"You're new to this area, aren't you?"

* * *

From now on, he should just cut out the middleman and bug her instead of her phone. She only had it for a couple of months and now it was trashed. Chad found her cell on the floor, smashed completely and lying there forgotten. It looked like an elephant just rampaged over it.

Most likely the varsity football team. He glared at the broken pieces, gripping his own cell tightly. This was supposed to be an easy transition, not a freaking mess! His cell blared to life again, this time it was from Cavallero. He didn't bother answering it, clicking it silent and pocketing it. Ever since the whole debacle with letting Uno into one of the teen bases, Cavallero had treated him like dirt ever since he tossed the kid at him. Wasn't exactly unwarranted, but still.

He had sent Patton and Fanny ahead from the last location his phone tracked Rachel to. Hopefully she didn't get far. At least enough that the two former decommissioned operatives couldn't catch up to. Rachel was always quick on her feet, a habit burned into her muscle memory from her days in Intelligence. Chad at least hoped she would put this habit to good use.

Another call. This time from Sapphire. Rachel was going to give him a hard time about that.  _'Jade? Sapphire? Is the next one Amber?'_  He could envision her saying that, her tone dripped heavily in sarcasm. Rolling his eyes, he ignored that call too and kept on Rachel's last trail, finding people coughing heavily in one hallway, a noxious smell wafting through.

"Disgusting." Chad frowned, waving away the smoke coming his way. No doubt Fulbright's doing. She did threaten him once with arrows dipped in garbage. He didn't actually think she _had_  them at the time. Jen and her lackeys finally managed to escape the smoke and nearly barrel into him. Chad took a step back and glared. "You pathetic bunch of morons. Couldn't deal with a  _single_  freshman, could you?"

Realizing who was talking to her, Jen waved away the smoke and coughed, angered by the older student's insult. "It wasn't just one, your  _Lordship._ " She practically spat out his title with venom. "Another one has gadgets."

Chad chuckled, feigning friendliness until he grabbed a handful of Jen's mohawk, forcing her to her feet. "One little stink-bomb and you and your boys are out for the count." He growled dangerously. Jen began to whine and shrink at the pain. "I think you're getting too old for this game. You're out of practice, out of shape, and  _outmatched._ "

"We'll get them!" Jen hissed, fingers clenching around his fist to stop him from pulling harder. "Just luck, m'lord! Just plain beginner's luck, I swear!"

He continued to regard her coldly and then he examined the cowering punks right behind her. Eventually, he dropped her. "Get them." Chad snarled. "Do your jobs and haze the little twerps. If you fail again, you're  _out._  Your territory, your rights,  _everything._  Gone. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes, m'lord!" They didn't hesitate to leave once he pointed them in the right direction to where they went, taking the bait like the scum they were. He flipped open his cell, walking off in the opposite direction.

"They're on your tail." Chad said into the receiver. "You have your orders."

* * *

"Yes sir." Patton hung up his cell, nodding once to Fanny. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed Rachel and they headed toward the cafeteria.

"This doesn't look like home room." Rachel muttered, walking into the large room filled with tables and the food racks catered with breakfast items.

Fanny snorted. "Very perceptive, McKenzie. How  _do_  you tie your shoes in the morning?"

"Simple. I'm wearing boots." Alright, that was funny. Fanny let out a small smirk, her grip on Rachel loosening as they maneuvered around the tables. Ever remaining in constant vigilance, Patton took the rear, waiting for Jen and the Punks to come crashing in soon.

They had made their way towards the lunch line when Jen's group finally crashed in, many of the students stumbling out of their way as they scanned the area. Once they spotted them, Jen's expression twisted into rage.

"C'MERE, FRESHMEAT!"

Patton cracked his knuckles, serenely stepping forward. "Fulbright, you take the rear." It was unreal. Rachel watched in rapt curiosity as both of her new companions were rather itching for a fight, as if they were made to do this particular dance.

Like she was made to run and escape.

"Aye, just dun fall behind." Fanny smiled devilishly, drawing her bow. Instead of plungers, she had two arrows set in, wearing firecracker tips.

And then it began. Rachel couldn't really fathom how out-of-place all of this was. But as natural as day, Patton came charging just as the big burly mook that Rachel had head butted before came rampaging after, uppercutting the bigger guy's jaw until he fell backwards again, this time knocked out cold. That seemed to surprise the combatants enough to stall and Fanny launched two firecracker arrows at two mooks that decided to charge ahead of Patton. They howled and jumped up in alarm as bright lights cracked and popped angrily at their feet.

But the distance didn't last long. Soon, Fanny joined the fray in close quarters, smacking people left and right with her bow, unable to gauge Jen's swiftness as she dodged the battle and aimed towards her real target.

Rachel jumped around the zigzag railings of the lunch line, trying to keep up some kind of distance between them as Jen looked like she was ready to kill her. And she probably would too. But when Jen hopped over two rails at once, Rachel squeaked and ran toward the kitchen entrance, holding her bag up like a weapon when she was cornered.

But Jen wasn't in the mood for another petty speech about how she was going to kill her. She lunged, nearly missing when Rachel jumped away, but not far enough. Jen grabbed her leg, causing the blond to fall with a painful crash. Bag in hand, she started swinging it in Jen's direction, hitting her multiple times on the head.

"OW! Knock! It! Off! Ow! Ow!"

While this commotion continued, it began attracting a lot of attention, especially from older students, who found the struggle of hazing to be the most traditional of sports. Among these spectators, was Queen Alana, who watched with amusement alongside her Ladies-In-Gossip.

"Check out the red-head with the arrows." Alana's best friend said lazily, popping her gum and pointing. "She's totally like, kicking Jen's men without breaking a sweat."

"Freshmen are getting too clever," Another of her friends said with a frown. "And the Executioners are getting too lazy." Especially that big oaf lying there all knocked out. How embarrassing.

Out of the freshmen fighting, it was the blond one who seemed the most amateurish, swinging her backpack like some overgrown ape to try to get Jen off of her. That was more amusing to Alana than seeing their best Executioners get their butts handed to them by two lowly freshmen, so she watched that, deciding that Jen's gone sloppy this year. Looks like someone doesn't deserve the perks of being an Executioner anymore.

"Pity, Jenny." She regally folded her arms. "You've lost your touch."

Rachel continued swinging desperately, feeling Jen's sharp nails dig painfully into her jeans. "GET OFF OF ME!" She howled. Without realizing it, her bag had hit the on button of a giant vat of brown gravy situated above her, the mechanism letting out a loud whir and a whistle.

Almost in slow motion, everybody looked up, watching the vat as tall as the ceiling began to slowly tilt forward. Tilt right in their  _direction._ Fanny was the only one to utter a single sentence.

"Oh crud."

A large wave of brown gravy began cascading down, engulfing Rachel and Jen first before it started to take over the rest of the cafeteria. People began to scream and try to run but to no avail. Everyone and everything in the gravy's path swept everyone under. A sea of people and gravy smashed around the closed cafeteria, until the force of the wave smacked open the doors, causing the entire cafeteria to finally empty itself out, leaving a wake of students moaning and covered in gravy.

Among the victims was the Queen and her entourage, freaking out over their ruined outfits.

Queen Alana's lip quivered, her once perfectly sculpted hair dripping in brown gravy. As all her Ladies-In-Gossip began to scream in horror at being covered in gunk, her eyes darkened, the room turning cold as Fanny and Patton cut their losses and ran off with Rachel in tow. But she remembered what the perpetrator looked like, forever burned into her mind for embarrassing her and her court in such a way.

Alana's angered scream shook the entire school.

* * *

"You're the only person on the entire planet that's capable of doing this!" Chad slapped his face with exasperation, Rachel trailing just behind him almost sheepish. "First day of school! First day! You go and make an enemy with not just Jen's group, but  _half_  of the royal court! One of them the friggin  _Queen!_  That's unpossible!"

Rachel whined. "In my defense, I didn't know she was the Queen." And it's not like she did it on purpose. She was getting  _hazed._  It was only in her nature to fight or flight. She chose flight-right in the presence of the Queen's court and into a vat of gravy. She swiped a bit of the stuff from her sweater and tasted it, making a disgusted face. "Ew."

"I say she's a hero," Fanny snickered, dodging the glare Chad was giving her. Despite 3/4ths of the current group being covered in gravy, she was downright chipper over the exciting battle. "Without the gravy, all the freshmen would 'ave gotten stuck with the meatloaf fer lunch. Good on 'er!" Patton contributed nothing to the conversation, keeping an ever watchful eye on Fanny if she tried to run and escape probation.

Fanny's encouragement made Rachel smile. "Well, at least I did  _something_  right." But Chad's expression seemed border on suffering in both a hilarious and yet serious way. "Can't I just find her and apologize?" She pouted, deciding to catch up to Chad and appeal for...something. The day since they first met, it always seemed like she was burdening him. More than what was expected from her. Now she felt horrible because he looked like he was trying to keep himself from snapping and not from anger.

From stress.

"Look at me, Chad." She said seriously and, surprisingly enough, he glanced warily at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. And I didn't want to cause trouble. Not for anyone. And especially not for you."

That seemed to placate him. His stiff shoulders sank a bit and he let out a very controlled sigh. "You didn't know. I get that. Trouble just seem to keep following us." And it was bugging the heck out of him. If he wasn't so paranoid already, he might have thought sabotage by now. The way he was juggling his priorities these days, anything was possible.

The plan was simple. All he had to do was have Jen lured into the cafeteria so Queen Alana would find her unfit to become an Executioner and disbar her. That way he didn't have to get his hands dirty making sure Rachel didn't come home beaten from the daily hazing-especially since Jen now seems to have a really bad grudge on the girl. More or less because Rachel practically socked her in the face with a heavy book bag. Funny, but difficult to deal with now.

The plan had taken a complete one-eighty due to the now infamous gravy incident. His girl was getting a lot of attention that he'd rather not have so quickly, especially now that the Queen was actively involved in this. If she took Rachel's blunder today as an idea of rebellion, they were in a lot more trouble than he believed.

Well, not  _his_  girl. His girl in a sense that he was in charge of her well-being, ergo, she was his. To take care of. That was all.

"Okay. What can  _I_  do to make things easier on you?" She emphasized carefully, taking a more thoughtful approach to a solution. Because Chad was quiet again. And that meant he was thinking. Thinking and scheming and going ten steps ahead of her as usual.

He really couldn't usher up the courage to tease her. Not after such an exhausting day. "Lay low." He finally said. "Don't provoke. Hide. Don't start anything stupid. Stick with Drilovsky and Fulbright."

"Is that it?" Rachel frowned. That was hardly a difficult task. While Fanny was a bit difficult at times, she got along with her well. Well, not as well as with Patton, but the guy was naturally friendly. Fanny was kinda sour like Chad.

"For your track record so far? That's a damning task to fulfill." He just had a sneaking feeling she was going to shake his world upside down in the years ahead. Even after he graduated.

Rachel supposed he had a point. It's not everyday that you piss off both Executioner Squads AND the Queen and her entourage at the same time. But Numbuh 362 wasn't exactly some other KND operative that just bled easily through the woodwork. These days Chad didn't expect Rachel McKenzie to do the same, decommissioned or no.

"Alright, alright. I'll lay low!" Rachel huffed.

* * *

But Rachel hardly kept her promise if she could help it. A month had passed and the hazing continued, subjecting freshmen of every kind to undergo a series of swirlies and wedgies to being trashed and strung up in high places to the amusement of the upperclassmen.

And each time Rachel considered a reason to rebel, Chad had to quiet her down at the end of each day in the hopes of dissuading her. He didn't care about tradition or the hierarchy. The only chain of command he loyally followed was the GKND's and even with that he made exceptions to. Rebellion meant taking a side and eventually, he would have to choose to void his hard-earned status with the teens or renege on the promise he made to Numbuh 1.

But Rachel wasn't invincible, even with Fanny and Patton at the helm. Eventually Jen and the Punks finally caught her and subjected to her all kinds of embarrassing and even painful tortures without him knowing. And by the end of the day when he eventually found and cut her down from her time tied up on one of the tether ball poles, his tolerance for Jen had reached a breaking point.

"This needs to end," Rachel muttered against his grip, teeth chattering from the mega swirly she was subjected to. "This needs to stop."

"You continue to fight back, you'll be in worse trouble." He growled, letting her curl into the warmth of his dry shirt. "Mark my words, McKenzie. You can't save everyone and if you try, you'll get burned."

But he agreed. He didn't say it aloud, but he needn't had to. Just don't let it be her. Let someone else lead what looks to be another rebellion. Because those who had tried in the past had failed miserably, ending up in a worse state than before.

And he didn't want to pick sides. Not when he was so close.

Injustice be damned. Because she wanted to fight. It was a dance he was familiar of, even took a part in when back when he was an operative. Even more so when he was Supreme Leader. But life wasn't black and white for him. Not anymore. Rachel was too young to understand the concept of consequence until she had a taste of it first hand.

He just hoped that it didn't happen under his watch.

The next month had barely ended when Chad heard a loud commotion down by the Freshman Hall. And he wasn't the only one. He stood along a crowd of other students as it seemed that kind of rally was happening down there.

Except he couldn't take another step forward to find out, a group of 9th graders holding everyone else at bay with weapons that seemed hastily produced. Hastily, but dangerous.

"Back off, m'lord," The boy growled at him, shaking the weapon once at him. "You're not going to get your Executioners to give us any more wedgies!"

At the helm of the rally was Rachel, flanked by both Fanny and Patton. It was eerily an extreme case of déjà vu for him.

"Fellow 9th graders! I stand before you a comrade, an ally. For too long have our kind endured this kind of abuse and degradation since King William the Torturer!" She said loudly, standing on top of a desk in the middle of Freshman Hall. "Look around you! Because we're younger, the royal class treats us like dirt! Like we're not even human! They subject us to Hazing, a year-long Initiation hoping to break our spirits and our gym shorts. But I say NAY. I refuse to stand and let them harm others for their own enjoyment! I am not their plaything- _WE_  are not their plaything, so help me!"

The crowd around her began to rally at her words, raising their rulers and whatever items they scrounged on hand to pump in the air.

"We demand equal rights! We demand the right to go to Homecoming and partake in fun activities too! We are all McClintock High's students and we should be treated as such!" Rachel continued angrily. "The Crown thinks us as weak. But we are strong. We are many. The 9th grade class makes up the highest number of students in all the three years combined! We are the majority! We are the voice!  _And_   _we will not be silenced_!"

Chad was forcibly turned aside when the freshmen erupted in loud cheer, the Knights of the Cool Table pulling them away to allow the King and Queen of McClintock High to partake in the spectacle.

"It's that girl again," Queen Alana narrowed her eyes. "She has allied herself against the Crown. I want these rebellions squashed down at once! Like now!"

Her King, the John, too cool to care about politics, kicked back and relaxed on his mobile throne. "Is this a pep rally? Cool dude."

Queen Alana whistled for the Knights, who stood in attention. "Squash all opposition! And I want that McKenzie girl drawn up on the flagpole! Make an example that the Crown does not take rebellions lightly!"

"Yes, your majesty!"

"Oh, she's in for it now," A sultry voice purred into Chad's ear. He didn't bother addressing Cree, his mind already processing multiple scenarios he could potentially use to defuse the situation. Cree continued to hang from him, watching the Knights begin to push the 9th graders back. "Gonna do something about your girl, Dickson?"

He finally answered, retreating back into the shadows. "Let her rebel." There was no peaceful way of getting through this without sacrificing his social cred in the process. He was almost disappointed in Rachel. Almost. She had a real charismatic way of rallying up a crowd to fight against injustice. Despite her making things more difficult for him, he'd be blind not to admire this trait.

He didn't move, even as the Knights swarmed and had overtaken the rally. Watching with a critical eye, the unorganized group of 9th graders couldn't hold back the bigger, stronger opposition for long. He couldn't do anything,  _wouldn't_  do anything. She needed to learn of consequence. That for things to change, sacrifices had to be made. That the best things were the hardest to fight for.

And sometimes, you could lose that fight just as easily.

"You're just gonna let them string her up?" Maurice crept over, watching with a disapproving eye as Rachel's two comrades put up a good fight, but a futile one. One of the Knights managed to grab a hold of Rachel and began dragging her outside with her followers. But she continued to yell, spouting confidence in the face of certain punishment. The 9th graders continued to shriek in defiance until eventually they too were silenced with the threat of a massive wedgie.

With a long conflicted look, he watched her struggle against the Knight until she was out of sight. "She needs to learn about consequence. I warned her." Chad muttered, turning back to class.

He had to be cruel to be kind.


	11. Year Two - Consequence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a heroine's actions causes a rebellion and the sour knight tries valiantly to balance all sides.

**Year Two**  – Consequence

They had her strung up high on the flagpole. That was considered the highest form of treason one can have against the Crown. Anyone within an entire mile could see her, including the adjacent Hendry and Gallagher schools. Fanny and Patton had been sent into permanent detention with the Crown deciding that they were much too dangerous for the standard punishment.

Why they had decided to rally up the 9th grade, Chad did not know. They could have easily just dodged the hazing and let the weaker students get caught in the crossfire. That was what he had done. That was what everyone had done.

But not Rachel McKenzie, oh no. She had to be a hero, had to change a system that had been implemented for years. She had to be so invested in the face of injustice even at the cost of what was most likely going to be the end of her social life. And it hadn't even been a semester.

Rachel raised her head when he approached, a small smile on her face. "Visiting hours finally open, Dickson?"

"We can make this a conjugal visit, if you're up to it," Chad smirked, hand over his eyes to block out the sun. "How are you holding up, Ms. Pariah?"

She snorted, shuffling against her binds a bit. "I prefer martyr."

"I prefer  _dumb_." He countered, his smirk turning into a frown. "I warned you not to play hero."

She continued to smile, despite it all. Yes, Chad had warned her and she knew this. But she couldn't just sit around and let her fellow classmates get beat on for no reason other than for entertainment. "How's Fanny and Patton holding up?"

"Permanent detention with possible parole if they renounce their loyalty to you." Chad said. "But I doubt they'll do it. They like you for some reason." They had hit it off well. Too well. Maybe something of a connection still lingered within those lost memories. Maybe it wasn't in the mind at all, if he was more sentimental. They followed her like lost puppies, probably clinging to the weird pull they felt around each other that couldn't be explained.

"How do I look?" She suddenly said, stirring Chad away from his thoughts. It was a weird question, but he didn't say so, deciding to humor her since she was probably going mad being tied to a flagpole.

She was all kinds of messed up. Her hair was a mess from the struggle and her clothes were wet and wrinkled from the swirlies. Her left eye was slightly swollen from Jen's punch. But she continued to smile, believing that she was making a difference even if it seemed like it wasn't.

She never looked more beautiful. "You look like hell."

"Ah, much thanks." Her tone was mildly sarcastic. "I feel like hell too."

"Oh, I bet." A pause. "Do you want me to cut you down, Ms. Martyr?"

She pretended to think about it. "Is my sentencing over yet?"

He snorted. "Not even close."

"Then no. Let them point and laugh. I'll be back here by tomorrow anyways." Rachel rolled her shoulders back against her binding. "I'm not going to just sit around and let them do this. I'll be on this flagpole until something changes."

Chad was always the pessimist. "What if it never changes?"

That was when Rachel sighed, bumping her head gently against the warm metal. "Then I guess I'll be missing prom then."

He had to admire her dedication. But that was something he was already aware of, the word practically in every other sentence in her KND file. It was what drew the GKND to put her on the recruit list, even if it ultimately ended up with Numbuh 1's victory. Maybe it was how flexible her loyalty could be that kept her from beating Nigel to the punch. She seemed like the type to deal with injustice with everything, not just including kids. Here she was defending a class of teenagers from tyranny, even with her memories gone.

And yet he could see her continuing to fight for justice even if she still had her memories. Maybe that was why the GKND knocked her off the list. Her loyalty was to the ideal of equality, not for just kids alone. She could easily defect from a mission if the GKND were rendered as the bad guys. Uno was too naïve to think realistically, his blind loyalty for anything KND related made him an easy recruit. And Chad himself was too suspicious to be trusted at the moment. Too much of a wild card for the GKND to have. At least, that was what Infinity seemed to imply these days.

He eventually left her there to reflect.

* * *

Things became personal with Jen. Just as much as it had become personal when she shirked her duties for revenge, targeting Rachel more than any other freshmen her group had come across. And the more angered Queen Alana was for the blond girl, the more vicious Jen's attacks became.

When Chad found Rachel one afternoon sporting a busted lip and two black eyes, something in him had snapped.

"I warned you, didn't I?" He said dangerously, stepping on Jen's bruised hand. She let out a howl, but there was no one there to help her. Her punks were not too far away, battered and unconscious in an abandoned hallway.

"I hazed them!" She desperately cried out, trying to pry her hand from under his shoe. "I did what you said!"

Wrong answer. Chad grabbed her and slammed the Executioner against the lockers. "Hazing? You think that was  _hazing?!_  No, this is far more than hazing, Jennifer. This is revenge. And you're looking to beat McKenzie until she's unconscious, aren't you?" Jen was scum. She was always scum. More scum than any other Executioner. She was a bully, a clever bully.

"W-what do you care, m-m'lord?!" She stuttered back and, for her efforts, he slammed her head against the lockers again.

"I knew you were dim, Jennifer, but I never pegged you for a moron." He sneered against her ear. "The 9th grade rebellion is getting  _stronger._  And they're looking for blood this time. Especially when you're beating up their  _beloved_  messiah. You think I'll be here to save your pathetic behind when they come after you and your mooks? You've got another thing coming."

Chad finally let go of Jen with a disgusted push, watching her slide down. "Go near McKenzie again. I  _dare_  you. You'll have far more trouble than the Crown when you do, Jennifer." He spat out her name and walked off, kicking one of her boys in the process.

Needless to say, Jen hadn't touched Rachel since.

* * *

But things were far from over. Rachel was to be on the pole every day until the end of the semester, forced up in the mornings, lunch, and after school. She refused to head to school late enough not to be strung up in the mornings, refused to quickly leave after school to avoid the third string up. "I want to make an example that I can take whatever they can dish out," She had told him. "String me up until graduation for all they want, I'm not going to give up."

So they did. They had strung her up until quarter's end. But she endured and riled the Crown all over again by the end of the day. Before she could even taste freedom, she was ordered to be put on the pole until the 9th grade ended. Queen Alana had hoped that Rachel McKenzie's permanent incarceration would make an example of rebels.

But it didn't.

Rachel's staunch opposition to the Crown had generated empowerment and strength to those hazed the worst. Her name became a secret password whispered to get into resistance groups of all shapes and motivations within the 9th grade. One group even managed to break out Rachel's most staunch loyalists from permanent detention, among those being Fanny Fulbright and Patton Drilovsky.

It was Fanny's idea to name the rebellion group as Prometheus. "Ye see 'er strung up in the mornin', strung up in lunch, an' strung up after school. McKenzie is Prometheus, punished fer bringin' the fire in our bellies, punished by a higher power!"

"Prometheus?" Rachel cocked an eyebrow from her tied post as Chad relayed the intel to her at one point. "I didn't know Fanny actually sat awake through Mythology!"

And Prometheus did bring waves among the nobility. Food lines were being torn asunder by opposition and conflict, the Executioners were far too little in numbers in comparison to the growing cult. Rallies were finally held long enough for those curious enough to listen before Queen Alana put a stop to them, and that was only if Alana was able to.

The rebellion grew to such threatening lengths that Alana personally ordered Rachel to be cut down from the pole prematurely, hoping that the appeasement of letting her go would dissolve Prometheus. While the tensions had lessened, the rebellions continued. Once at the helm of Prometheus, Patton had claimed that Rachel's freedom was due to the Crown's fear of the rebellion succeeding and that fact alone continued to stir them.

"You really smacked the beehive now, McKenzie." Chad had said to her before she was carted up by her peers at the Resolution Rally; the 9th graders cheering over her freedom before she made a tentative speech about change.

But she never wanted fear as the motivation for rebellion, so she tried to placate her new-found followers. "If we use fear against them, we are no better than them." Rachel said gently at the makeshift podium. "What we need is  _democracy,_  not a monarchy. The right to be equal and have a voice. The right to go to school each day without fear of an Executioner at our backs! What we need to focus on is getting rid of this stupid Initiation for this year, and the 9th graders of the next, and the next! Let us take care of those being hunted and fight when we are fought first!"

Her words, however, were received with mixed results. She had gained favor among the upperclassmen for her attempts to protest in peace instead of through fear, but a good number of her followers were still bitter and angered over their treatment. Struggle reigned through Prometheus until the group was eventually split into two: those that favored a more peaceful resolution, and those that desired to overthrow the monarchy and gain power themselves.

Prometheus had soon become an extremist group instilling terror to everyone not in their ranks. The rest, however, renamed themselves as Phoenix, with Rachel at the helm in the hopes of equality and peace.

"Another mythological creature, Fanny?" Rachel had teased when she brought it up as one of the replacement names to their cause.

"Aye. We could always go with  _Cutsy Cuddle-Bunnies_  like what Minnie suggested in third period," Fanny snarked back.

"Phoenix it is."

_From the flames, we are reborn._  Patton had made that slogan as the vital password into their ranks until everyone had written it inside of their lockers, tagged bathroom stalls and school walls until they couldn't use it anymore. It soon became something cool to wear, sticking patches of a phoenix onto their backpacks and the inside of their jackets. Rebellion was always cool to teens, no matter which class.

But Phoenix had done what Prometheus never could, extending the bridge between grades and utilizing them as allies.

The Sophomore class was the easiest to gain in numbers. They still remembered their days being hazed and Rachel's strange gift at diplomacy helped bridged that gap. While still loyal to the Crown, they were of much use with support and that too soon whispered in through the higher levels of McClintock. Change was coming.

And Rachel McKenzie was the key component to finishing this war.

* * *

"I want you to stop her at once."

Chad eventually knew it would come to this, that someone would have told Queen Alana that he was intimate with Phoenix, due to their leader being his charge. No doubt it was Cree's doing who, being Queen Alana's most loyal adviser, decided to stir the pot in a bid for the throne. And as he knelt before his Queen, her orders were pretty straightforward.

"I'm her valet, not her babysitter, your majesty." He lowered his head in answer, feigning defeat. "I've tried to dissuade her, but she is adamant for change. She wants to end the Initiation."

Queen Alana sat back on her throne, the King too preoccupied with strumming his base guitar to care about politics. "Just the Initiation?  _Prometheus_  desires the Crown."

"Prometheus is an unfortunate setback to their cause. McKenzie has publicly ordered them as an extremist group. The 9th grade has distanced themselves from Prometheus' terrorist acts against the Crown." He said dutifully, continuing to stare at the floor.

Rubbing a fine manicured hand against her cheek, she deliberated quietly, forcing Chad to stay knelt until she allowed this information to sink in. "Regardless, Prometheus is a threat to the Crown. And it was borne from McKenzie's rebellion whether she has abandoned them or not. I want Prometheus silenced for good."

Chad frowned. "Phoenix's attempts to subdue Prometheus are strained at best. Despite tensions, Prometheus will not touch Phoenix so long as McKenzie leads. They still harbor a respect left for the one who inspired them to fight in the first place."

"Then our paths have been laid for us." Alana gracefully stood up, motioning for Chad to rise. "We will settle this matter the way the Crown has done for decades. Summon everyone for the Gauntlet."

"Your majesty?" Chad blinked in surprise.

"The Gauntlet. Go to Phoenix and offer McKenzie this ultimatum. Everything is settled with the Gauntlet. Everything will end with the Gauntlet." She examined her nails. "She will make her demands there. If the ancestors of McClintock favor her, than she will have what she desires."

He was more worried if the ancestors  _didn't_  favor Rachel. "If she fails, her social life will end. She would be the laughingstock of McClintock, forced to have her picture forever stricken from every yearbook. She would be-"

"-Undateable." Alana seemed amused by this. "If she is not favored, then yes. That will be the consequence she will have to endure. Tell her this, for the Crown will not meet her demands otherwise."

It must be serious then if Queen Alana would force the Gauntlet. Those rare few who succeed may ask for whatever they desired without question. Many lucky victors have practically jumped ranks to become King in doing so.

He highly doubted that Rachel would try such a thing if she succeeds. But she was no longer a KND operative, despite her somewhat resurfacing agility. She would be at a great disadvantage. With a terse nod, he accepted Alana's request. "I will inform Phoenix at once."

"You have always been our most loyal subject from Junior Hall, Lord Dickson. The Crown can always rely on your guidance."

He lowered his head again. "My alliance is to you only, my Queen." That seemed to please Alana for she smiled with such flattery.

"Such a charmer, Chad."

* * *

"The Gauntlet? Seriously?" Maurice stared incredulously at Chad despite the fact that he tried not to grin. His fellow operative looked like he had swallowed a lemon. "You're gonna get a LOT of gray hairs over this, aren't you?"

Chad glared. "Don't remind me. The way things are going, Father could definitely use McKenzie for his ranks. She makes me feel old just  _looking_  at her."

"All the best girls do." Now with a full on grin, Maurice returned to his binoculars, watching Cree and a few recruits initiate a confrontation with the Kids Next Door. Unfortunately for her, him and Chad had  _missed_  her signal to flank them. They watched from atop an adjacent rooftop, simply staying out of the fight as Cree began to become overwhelmed by a larger quantity of children. "Numbuh 5's been recommended."

Chad wasn't surprised. He stole back his binoculars. "I'm guessing from the way you've been smiling the last few days, she's accepted it had she?"

"She was gung-ho about the idea years ago. Her response was positive, but..." Maurice frowned a bit. "Abby wasn't so excited like before. Reluctant, like Rachel was."

This was news to him. Chad tore his gaze away from the fight to frown at Maurice. "You never told me that you approached her for a recommendation."

He shrugged. "It didn't seem important at the time. She knew me, that's why the big guy sent me to recruit her. I was her main intel when she was Supreme Leader back then."

"Did she tell you  _why_  she denied joining?"

Maurice looked away, brow furrowed in deliberation. "Not...exactly. She sent back the application and didn't really state her reasons. I just assumed that she was tired of the KND. Numbuh 100 did the same thing if you recall."

But Numbuh 100 had always been upfront with his emotions. Numbuh 362 had been trained in espionage and dual identities. That took meticulous detail and dedication. Anything she said you had to read between those lines because something could be a truth inside a lie or vice versa. If she had a reason, she would have stated it, wouldn't she? Why would she hide it?

"Heads up!" Maurice snapped his fingers, shaking Chad out of his reverie. "Cree's retreating. Better give her a good excuse this time."

Chad snorted. "The car broke down."

"We used that last time. And she ordered my car overhauled, remember?" Maurice's face soured. "It hasn't been the same since."

"We went on a nacho run."

" _Now_  we're talking!"

 


	12. Year Two - Reunification

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which plans are made to settle the rebellion once and for all and the Sour Knight lives up to his name of being...sour.

**Year Two**  – Reunification

"The Gauntlet?" Rachel had never heard of such a thing before. "Is that some kind of spiritual journey where the hero must prove themselves before obtaining a holy artifact?"

"Are you sure you're not a nerd in disguise?" Chad asked, brow quirked up in mild disbelief. "Because your words frighten me."

They were situated inside of, well, the Janitor's closet. Chad called it the Boom-Boom Room, but Rachel didn't understand the meaning of such slang. And if those words had anything to do with music, the tiny cramped space was missing a few percussion instruments.

And in her opinion, it wasn't exactly a preferable place of conversation. It was horribly small to fit one grown teen, let alone two. Chad's sixteen year old build had him take most of the room and the way his head was forced down to avoid hitting the ceiling was a hilarious sight for her. Unfortunately she couldn't admire the position he was in, finding herself squished right against him as he relayed important intel  _in_  the privacy of the closet.

"Easy with those hips there, pear." He winced, her hip pressed hard against his abdomen.

"I am NOT a pear!"

"Keep it down!" Chad hissed, shushing her with his hand. "Do you want people to hear?!"

This was madness in a hand basket. He should have picked a better arrangement. But the Boom-Boom Room hadn't been this small the last time he was in it, but that was back in the 9th grade, and his first girlfriend had been way smaller than Rachel was.

Rachel mumbled into his hand, glaring at him. And then she  _licked_  it. She  _licked_  his hand. What the-

Surprised, Chad immediately pulled his hand away, shaking it. "Damn, McKenzie. Never pegged you for a  _licker."_

"Language!" She warned, though her cheeks were aflame from his remark. "Just tell me what the Gauntlet is so we can get out of here!"

"Give me a sec, would you? My neck's getting a cramp."

Much to her displeasure, he tried to slide his way down, which in turn forced her up. Their bickering continued until they were situated in a comfortable position, if that was even possible. The angling, however, was extremely embarrassing.

"Oh my god. This is humiliating." Rachel palmed her face, seeing as she was practically sitting on his lap now. But that meant he could stretch his legs out now, so he was a happy camper.

"You know, most girls would kill to be in your position right now." Chad teased, a low purr in his throat as he relished in her embarrassment. His arms wound themselves around her waist, causing her to startle in surprise.

Could she get any redder? Yes, she could. Rachel glared at him. "I'm not like  _most_  girls."

" _That_  we can agree on. Not many can rally an entire grade into war with the rest of the school." Chad snorted, tightening his hold. "Queen Alana finds you to be a formidable opponent."

"Oh?" That made Rachel smile, impishly wounding her own arms around his neck in retaliation. He made a slight start at such initiative, evening the score. "Is the Gauntlet supposed to be in  _my_  favor then? Why do you look like you're ready to split hairs then?"

Chad rolled his eyes. "It's not that simple. The Gauntlet is only in your favor if you're lucky. Most of the time you might as well just draw out this rebellion. This is a cheaper, easier way to settle disputes. That's why we have it." Because teens were lazy and they'd rather not dabble in politics until they were adults.

"Enlighten me,  _m'lord_." Her tone was mocking, but the way she said it made a shiver crawl up his spine. And not in a scary way. Maybe it was because of the way they were situated. They  _were_  teenagers first, after all.

Or maybe the shiver was from the bottle of ammonia pressing against his back. Either way, it distracted him long enough to snap her fingers at him to concentrate. That seemed to be the traditional method everyone's been using on him these days.

"It's a battle, not diplomacy. That's why I'm worried. You're not exactly Fanny, y'know." Or Patton. Both of them were formidable fighters. If it wasn't for them, Phoenix nor Prometheus would have been very threatening to the Crown. "You fight whatever opponent the Crown sends as their champions."

Rachel snorted. "Well that's not a problem. I'll just pick out our best fighter." That was when his fingers pressed hard into her sides, causing her to startle and squirm. "H-hey!"

"Stop treating this so lightly. It's not that simple.  _You're_  going to have to fight it." Chad paused in his ministrations, forcing her into attention. "The Queen challenged  _you._  You are the leader of both factions-"

"But I'm not in charge of Prometheus," She protested weakly. "Tony Vargas is."

Chad shook his head. "It started in  _your_  name. The Crown considers it yours. You win this Gauntlet, McKenzie, and they'll grant you a boon. Any boon. You can kick Alana out and become Queen if you wanted to. But the stakes are high and very few actually win."

"You make it seem like it's to the death or something." Rachel laughed. "C'mon!"

"It's the death of your social life."

That gave her pause. "They wouldn't really do that, will they?"

His grip on her was even more tight, causing her to wince. "Pete Mulgrew."

The name made her eyes widen. Pete Mulgrew was legendary. He was undateable. In fact, he's the only undateable person still residing in McClintock and he led a lonely life. Not even the nerdiest of nerds would have him grace their presence. Not even  _Suzie the Snotty_  would sniff her way around him. Anyone who even remotely tried to acknowledge him would suffer the same fate. "Are you saying Mulgrew failed in the Gauntlet?"

"He failed badly. Dunno why he wanted it in the first place." Chad shook his head. "It was before I even got to McClintock. But you've seen his fate. Alana hopes you'll get it for all the suffering you gave the Crown. But there's a catch."

Rachel frowned. "There's always a catch."

"The Gauntlet requires a unified front for it to proceed. The preliminaries are turf wars and Phoenix can't do that alone. Not with their numbers. Alana has agreed to open the Gauntlet should you bring Prometheus under control again." And of course, that was the difficult part.

"There's no way Prometheus will fall in again!" He expected her protest. "I've tried. They won't listen to me! Vargas is stubborn, but most of all, he's  _resentful._  You didn't see what the Hazing did to him. Nothing I say will change his mind."

Chad let out a frustrated exhale of air. "You'll have to try harder, won't you? Alana's giving you until the end of the semester to unify the 9th grade again. Prometheus scares her. This is probably her way of trying to get rid of the extremist movement and tip things in her favor. In fact, she's counting on you failing. You know the consequence of refusing the Gauntlet? It's  _bad_."

Rachel thumped her head against the wall. "But if I unify the 9th grade again, I'll have a greater chance of winning the Gauntlet, right? The Queen's gambit could go very wrong on her end."

"She's willing to risk it. That's what Cree thinks and Cree's her best friend." He affirmed carefully. "You're on a deadline, McKenzie. Get Prometheus back or the Gauntlet's forfeit. The Crown will win by default."

She sighed. "I guess I have no choice then." Realizing that Chad was watching her carefully, she gave him a tentative smile. "And hey, thanks for the information. I really appreciate you risking your neck out there for me. It must be difficult being a double agent."

Try  _triple_  agent. "You have no idea. But...thanks." Her words surprised him. He had never received gratitude for doing his duty before. It was always the next mission and nothing else. He pulled her closer, not realizing that he was doing it. "Careful, McKenzie. You've got everyone in McClintock watching your every move."

"I'm always careful." Her smile turned coy and her arms tightened around his neck. But the close proximity didn't bother them as it usually should. "They should be more careful of  _me."_

And because fate was just cruel, the door to the Janitor's closet opened up with a slam. Frozen in place, Chad tried his best not to curse at Maurice, who coolly lounged against the door frame. And from the glare Rachel was giving him, she knew that he was ready to do it too.

"Well now!" Maurice's smile was brilliant, looking them up and down. "It's about damn time!"

"Language, dammit!" Rachel squeaked angrily.

* * *

When word had finally gotten around about the Gauntlet, Rachel's life had become even more difficult to manage. Phoenix's meetings about it were met with trepidation and worry over the possible reconciliation of Prometheus, much of which were of the firm opinion that it was impossible to attempt. Under Vargas' command, they near crossed the line to actual crimes, destroying lockers and resorting to petty theft.

"We merge our lot with theirs, we'll be getting their reputation make no mistake of that," Patton had said gravely in their second meeting regarding the Gauntlet. "The Queen expects this no doubt. Even if you manage it."

"I am aware." Rachel said darkly, rubbing her forehead. "My gamble's greater than her's. But I have to accept those terms lest I forfeit. We're playing her game, but we're going to do it on  _our_  terms."

Fanny, however, wasn't exactly keen on rejoining Prometheus, cracking her knuckles in mild fury. "Those pathetic louts are gunna ruin this cause, McKenzie, mark my words! Do ye realize what'll happen if ye make the unpossible possible?"

It wasn't like she hadn't thought of this further. But Rachel was adamant for the unification. Prometheus was born from her actions and had strayed from the path. Their actions were inadvertently her's. "Prometheus is one of our own, Fanny. They're my responsibility. I would rather have us united for the common goal and if I have to salvage what's left of my reputation to take the heat for their deviations, then so be it. We fight together for the Gauntlet, or we don't fight at all."

Two weeks were a difficult time limit. Not even the easiest of real world diplomacy were resolved in that amount of time. Prometheus, no doubt catching wind about the Gauntlet's stipulations, made it difficult for Phoenix to trail them and reach a consensus.

Rachel resorted to drastic measures: utilizing the school's PA System.

"I am asking for an audience with Tony Vargas on behalf of Phoenix," People had heard her say in the morning announcements. "You need to stop running and tell me your terms for a peaceful resolution. If you don't, then your revenge will be for nothing. Our cause will be for nothing. You know how to contact us."

Chad's home room erupted in heated discussion as soon as it ended.

"She's getting bold with this fight, isn't she?" Maurice leaned to the side, watching his friend nurse a headache.

Chad rubbed his forehead, biting back a retort. "Not bold.  _Desperate._ "

* * *

They were ambushed by Prometheus agents as Phoenix tried to transport Rachel and her commanding officers to the designated neutral zone in discussion of the unification project. Fanny wasn't exactly happy about that, ready to lay waste on the new crossbow Rachel had given her for her birthday. She named it Scarlet and was as accurate with it as smashing a fly with the end of a chopstick halfway across the room.

And she wasted no time in telling the Prometheus ambushers that metaphor too. "Come at 'er ye poor saps! I'll make sure ye never sit properly at a desk again!"

"Stand down, Fanny!" Rachel ordered, waving her arm across the crossbow with the intent to lower it. "What's the deal? This is the neutral zone!"

One of the ambushers waved his weapon. "Not yet it ain't. Orders from the boss. Lay down your weapons before you cross the neutral zone."

"Aren't you supposed to do the same?" Patton's eyes narrowed, toting a menacing looking ROTC rifle. "Check yourself before you wreck yourself." It would have been funny any other day, seeing the straight-laced Drilovsky say such a term with a serious tone. But it wasn't and he was completely right.

No one made a move to lower their weapons.

"I said drop 'em!" The boy said, aiming his weapon. Tension grew even more when Fanny's glare turned murderous, lifting her own weapon to match the boy's.

"YOU FIRST!"

Two other ambushers raised their weapons in sync from the outburst, causing Patton and Rachel to match theirs immediately. "NO  _YOU_  FIRST!"

"Make one more move and I swear..." Patton calmly replied. Dangerously calm. It made the hairs in the back of Rachel's head stand on end. But the boy would not falter against the threat, his voice escalating as the rest of the ambushers armed themselves.

"YOU'VE GOT UNTIL THE COUNT OF THREE!"

"THREE!" Fanny taunted back, taking the boy's bait with great pleasure. With a frustrated noise, Rachel immediately shoved Fanny's weapon back down.

"Enough! Look at us! We're on the same side, for Pete's sake!" She growled, signaling her group to stand down. Eventually her side lowered their weapons with Patton reluctantly lowering his last. "I am trying to make sure we never get hazed again. If  _you_  want to spend the rest of the year getting hazed it's fine by me! But you will  _not_  ruin it for everyone else, kid. You hear me?!" This caused the boy to back off a bit, stunned along with everyone else at the change of Rachel's demeanor. She had always projected herself as a pacifist, not as an aggressor.

But this was not a usual day for her. Not when many things were riding on this negotiation. A slow clap interrupted whatever tensions that were left over and the ambushers parted to let the new person in.

"So Rachel McKenzie's human after all?" Tony Vargas said with a sneer. "I was beginning to peg you as some kind of messiah. That's what all the other niners have been calling you."

Rachel's glare was icy. "I bleed too if that's what you're looking to find out. What with this ambush and all."

The leader of Prometheus snorted. "Hardly. I'm well acquainted with your general back in the old days," His green eyes flickered over to a seething Fanny before focusing back onto Rachel. "A wild one, she is. You can't blame me for being extra careful. Not with the company you keep as bodyguards."

"They're not my bodyguards. They're my friends and comrades to the cause." This caused Tony to smile.

"Now  _there's_  the Rachel McKenzie I remembered. Perfect in every way." He paused. "Too perfect. Everything's just a bed of roses for you, isn't it? Can't do nothing wrong. You want to make peace with the very people who brought us to this point. That is where you've fallen in my eyes."

The feeling was ungodly mutual. "You've gone and made yourselves bullies and tyrants. The very people who brought  _us_  to this point. That is where you've fallen in  _my_  eyes." She glared. "But I want to unify us. If you'd kindly follow us to the neutral zone like I had specified-"

"You specify nothing!" He spat out angrily. "I hold the cards here, McKenzie. I know about the Gauntlet. You  _need_  me. And I've graciously accepted your proposal. You follow  _me._  You follow  _Prometheus._ Are we clear?"

Fanny growled and took a step forward, intent on pummeling her former second-in-command's face in, but Patton caught her by the arm and held her there. Rachel had sent him a warning glance to stop her.

Tony's guard aimed her weapon back at Fanny, who growled enough to cause the girl to take a step back. "I said, are we clear?" Tony repeated, unperturbed by the grown tension.

" _Crystal_." Rachel reluctantly said. Things were heightening to be a fight. This was not how she wanted negotiations to start off with. Anger gone like someone turned a switch, Tony's menacing smile returned and he offered his hand to her.

"You'll come with me first." He smirked. "I'm  _very_  accommodating to my enemies." It was Patton's turn to start advancing, prompting Rachel to raise her arm to keep him at bay.

"I am not your enemy," She said, stepping forward to take his hand. "But I  _will_  follow you." Shaking her head at the expressions of disbelief her comrades her sporting, she followed alongside Lockhart into the neutral zone, her group having no choice but to trail behind the ambushers.

* * *

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Chad stared incredulously at his embarrassed companion. "The brat just wants a date for Sadie Hawkins?!"

"Those...were the terms." Rachel gave him an awkward smile. The negotiation was tense and dangerous. Everyone was glaring at the other and the neutral classroom they were in was dark and flickering due to faulty lighting. She had expected demands that she could not achieve, like dissolving all peaceful negotiations with the upperclassmen or allow Prometheus free reign to do as they wanted without consequence.

This, however, was far too...weird. "He was very...adamant about that." Rachel tentatively continued, trying not to laugh. "Apparently there's this girl he's been crushing on for two years and I guess it'll help his ego out if we get her to ask him to the dance."

Typical teenagers. Chad snorted at the notion. But this was a good thing. Rachel looked less burdened and actually chipper. The last time he saw her like this was before high school ever started. "So...you get this girl to date him and Prometheus gets roped back in?"

"That's the idea. Although..." She began to twirl her fingers together. He recognized that gesture.

"It's not  _you_  he wants to date is it?" He glared, fingers gripping his milkshake hard to the point of it cracking. The diner employee waved his towel at him in warning and he was forced to loosen his grip. Of  _course_  that Tony dork would try to gain Rachel as an ally. Together, they could do grand things in the coming years. But he was scum and he would be damned if he was going to let some snot-nosed punk use McKenzie to those ends.

Rachel quirked an eyebrow at how tense Chad seemed to look. Weirdo. "Were you not listening? He's liked her for  _two_  years. From  _Hendry._  I never went to Hendry." To her surprise, that seemed to have calmed him down immediately.  _Super_  weirdo.

"So who's the unlucky girl?" Chad was back to sporting a smirk and a devilish demeanor. Typical, but comforting for her.

She shrugged. "Some girl named Lizzie? Lizzie Devine. She's finishing up 8th grade this year, so we'll have to set aside tensions with the lower grades to invite her over." Then things suddenly got weird. Chad had paled considerably at her words. She knew that McClintock was very much wary about Hendry, considering that most of those current students there had been part of the  _Great School War of Hendry and Gallagher_  a couple of years ago. With victors like that, they were very suspicious of a similar invasion.

Of course, it wasn't that that got him as white as a sheet. Lizzie Devine was well-known to Infinity and the people in charge of Earth's GKND intel. They had worked tirelessly to forge unfortunate coincidences meant to grate on the girl's wavering loyalty and love to Uno...to which they eventually succeeded in. Sector V's treehouse going renegade had been Chad's idea to break that bond.

Now, looking back, it seemed that karma was catching up to him. He didn't really care at the time about Lizzie's feelings. Why should he? He didn't know her, didn't care to know her. She was just a mission to complete. And complete he did. All that mattered was results demanded by Infinity. And him succeeding in destroying Uno's relationship with her had sent his own candidacy skyrocketing to the top until Uno bested him at the finish run. He ruined a girl's relationship for nothing. In fact, it had backfired, making Uno free to take what should have been his.

But to Rachel, he was just making that strange face again. Sometimes, if she was privy to Chad's inner thoughts, she saw him in a heavier light. Like he had a conflict inside that she could never comprehend. A deep expression that she couldn't reach him from. It was discomforting and oddly worrisome. She reached over and immediately grabbed his wrist, forcing him back to the present.

"Hey...stop that." Rachel frowned, tugging his wrist towards her above the counter.

Chad blinked at her, that darkness in his eyes fading until they were back to the usual shallowness they seemed to portray to the rest of the world. "Stop what?" He was just thinking, something that boys were actually capable of in comparison to Fanny's argument weeks ago. Her words threw him off guard. A lot of things about her seemed to be throwing him off guard the longer he knew her.

"You're doing it again." She chastised, biting her lip. "I can't explain it. Sometimes you just...you seem far away. Like you're off on Pluto or something."

"Am I?"

In a rare moment, her expression was open, unguarded. She gripped his hand a bit more tightly, brown eyes soft with worry. "Yeah. It scares me."

How very...intuitive of her. But that also meant that he was slipping up in his façade. Without him realizing, that brick wall between them had been temporarily transparent. She was seeing things of him that she hadn't seen before. Dimensions she didn't know existed. It was that old part of Chad Dickson he had left to rot after he practically betrayed his way out of the KND.

He needed to destroy this moment. The illusion he had made to tolerate her was losing it's focus. With a slow smirk, he trapped her hand hard with his free one, once more portraying the rogue playboy he was supposed to be. "You're seeing things, McKenzie. Or were you hoping to play cute in order to spill my heart out to you? I didn't know you were in love with me so much." His tone was cruel. "I'll have to pencil you in for a confession on Monday though. My weekend's already filled up, y'see? Two of them are seniors. Can't pass that up, right?"

The light went out in her eyes. He could practically see the walls she had lowered as some form of truce immediately spring back up and she all but physically pulled away from him. It was relieving...and damning.

"Whatever." Her glare darkened and she pulled her hand away from his grip. "No one in their right mind could ever love you, Dickson." She instead focused on her drink and once again, Chad had succeeded in ruining things as usual.

And just like that, the transparent brick wall became solid, blocking the both of them from seeing each other again.

Just how it's supposed to be.


	13. Year Two - Remembrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first cut is the deepest, but will history repeat or will it finally fix itself?

**Year 2** – Remembrance

Lizzie was a hard girl to locate, not because of how elusive her presence were, but how  _busy_  the girl seemed to be. When one TND agent told him of her whereabouts in one venue, Lizzie would have already split onto the next one as soon as they arrived. If there was any shred of her childhood left, it was long gone. She was as adept to her schooling as the next adult was with having an actual job.

Maybe something of Nigel Uno had finally rubbed off on her, that dedication that she seemed to resent according to Chad's preliminary reports. It was satisfying, yet off-putting.

"Busy girl." Rachel simply said, watching their target run around with teacher's notes and paperwork to and fro hallways. She knew that the girl was a teacher's aide-no, faculty aide. Apparently she got promoted four times in one semester. Now that  _was_  dedication.

Abby, being an undercover operative on her first mission, walked them down Hendry's hallways. The lockers were normal looking, a stark contrast to the embellishments back in McClintock. "Oh yeah. That girl's a teacher's pet.  _Principal's_  pet. You got your work cut out for you, McKenzie." But Chad could detect a brightness in the younger girl's eyes. No doubt she was happy to be reintroduced to Rachel, her former Supreme Leader.

And Rachel was nevertheless oblivious to this transparent thread that bound them all together. It was maddening. It was a relief.

"But  _why_?" Her attention was intently on Abby and Chad knew that. He didn't exactly earn points after their fallout in the diner. She was doing a good job ignoring him too for the most part. But he played disinterest and walked behind the small group, always there and not there.

Abby made a face. "I dunno. She seemed always like that. As long as I knew her, anyways." She was student aide when Nigel was around, always taking the heat when he begged to listen in on the scheming principal back in Gallagher. The end of that relationship really stung Nigel until his ascent and, quite frankly, Abby felt just as bad when it happened. Sure Lizzie was a pain in the butt, but Nigel really cared about her.

And there she was, ever depended on by the faculty. The girl had slimmed down a bit once her preteen years began to kick in, that weight distributed a bit more evenly now that she had gained some height. But things, while they always changed, didn't stop her from keeping those pigtails or the glasses.

Chad wasn't even remotely interested in the girl, only in a guilty sense. His reports detailed Lizzie Devine as something of an aggressor, an enemy of the KND in the sense that she tried to distract her boyfriend from his duties. Innocent enough, but damning for a candidate. Back then she had to go.

"Lizzie's something of a guilty pleasure for the guys," Abby snickered, waving their target over. "Sure she don't look like a supermodel, but she's got mettle."

"Mettle?" Rachel asked in confusion. And here she thought all teenage boys were pigs, with the exception of Patton, of course. If Lizzie was so popular with boys, what was her secret if it wasn't her looks? Not that she was bad-looking, of course. She wasn't Suzie the Snotty, no way.

When she approached their group, Chad involuntarily took a step back. He was aware of the girl's mood swings and worse, she's recognized him before during the botched football debacle that was supposed to attack Moonbase years ago. Well, he  _hoped_  she didn't.

Lizzie ran a critical eye on the three of them and then her expression lit up, sugary sweet. "Oh, hello! We don't get much people from McClintock! My name's Lizzie!"

"Hello there," Rachel smiled back. "I'm Rachel McKenzie and this is Chad Dickson." Chad really wished she hadn't introduced him. Lizzie's features began to pinch with uncertainty as she took a good look at him.

"You look awfully familiar...actually,  _both_  of you look familiar." Lizzie frowned, eying both her and bodyguard. Rachel was confused. She had never met Lizzie before. But Chad knew. He knew everything.

Eventually she just shook her head and straightened her glasses. "Well, whatever. I dunno what you're doing here at Hendry, but if it's about the basketball turf wars, you're gonna have to talk with Smith down in the gym-"

Rachel waved her arms. "No, no. We're not hear about that. This is more of a...delicate matter. Politics." That made Lizzie scoff.

"Ugh, don't get me started on politics! I never liked the student council and really, they can't even get a dance ready without someone like  _me_  to organize it. All they do is brag and laze around!"

"R-right," Rachel stammered. "Well, what would you say if I told you that your contribution to McClintock will be known far and wide as a radical change to the student body?"

Now Lizzie's demeanor changed, bordering on angered suspicion. Chad took another step back. "Why is it riding on  _me_?"

Gratefully, Abby stepped in. "Girl, we're going to the 9th grade next year. Rachel's trying to make things easier for us when we get there. Just go out with one boy at the Valentine's dance and we'll be squared away-"

"Oh no!" Lizzie poked Abby hard. "I am NOT dealing with your Kids Next Door crud anymore! I know  _exactly_  what this is and I'm done with it! You guys has caused me nothing but trouble back in Gallagher, I won't do it anymore!"

Rachel frowned. "Kids Next Door?" That rowdy gang of kids that made people's lives miserable? She glanced at Abby, wondering if the girl was a part of their group. But, like Chad, Abby feigned puzzlement, playing the role of a decommissioned teen.

"What the heck are you talking about, Lizzie? Kids Next Door? You jokin', girl!" Abby laughed, patting the red-head on the shoulder. Chad's expression darkened as Lizzie began spilling all sorts of secrets. Like Abby being a part of Sector V and getting into all sorts of trouble.

"Stop pretending like you don't know!" Lizzie growled, pulling Abby up with surprising strength. "I know something happened! Like Nigel! He just dropped off the face of the earth! I know it had something to do with the Kids Next Door!"

But Abby continued to laugh nervously, trying to placate the hot-tempered preteen. "You crazy! C'mon, Lizzie! This is for the good of McClintock! Just imagine the history you're gonna make if you help us out!"

Folding her arms, Rachel watched with worry as Abby tried to convince the girl, wondering if this was a futile effort. And something seemed vaguely familiar when Lizzie mentioned a boy named Nigel. She was sure she had heard the name before. Just not where. The way her brow furrowed and her bottom lip being worried between her teeth, Chad recognized that expression. She was seeing something she had forgotten, desperately trying to put the pieces together.

His eyes flashed with Abby's in warning and, much to Rachel's protest, he pulled Lizzie away from the group and took her aside. He was going to have none of this.

"Listen, I've got a football game coming up," He put on his best charming smile which predictably made the girl melt. "Spend time with Vargas, see how he holds up."

Lizzie squealed with excitement. "You mean an actual high school football game?! But only high schoolers are allowed to go!" She squealed again when he pulled out tickets.

"We make an exception for future students.  _Future_  great students," He laid on the charm, coaxing Nigel's former girlfriend to take them. "You can use Friday off, I bet. All that paperwork and running around for the faculty, I definitely don't envy you!"

She blushed and raised her shoulders, content with all the compliments. "Well...I suppose I could use a break...and it'll be a great place for networking!" Without a beat, she grabbed the tickets. "Alright! But if I don't like the guy, I don't have to do anything, okay?!"

"Fair enough," He shrugged, leading her back to the group. Rachel narrowed her eyes at him with suspicion before being taken in hand by a completely changed Lizzie, excitingly talking about some kind of football game coming up.

But all that was on Chad's mind was that Lizzie might need to be silenced. Permanently.

* * *

Linda was Chad's fourth girlfriend this year and this time it wasn't his fault. After she trumped Roxy during the Battle Royale Tournament a few months back, Maurice had expressed an interest for him to watch her carefully. And being the new appointed leader of the TND sect, Chad had no choice but to follow orders.

But it was fine. Most of his girlfriends were of more to be used for KND purposes than any personal attachment. He could lay on the charm and cinch their affections, but they've done nothing to warm his own heart. So when Maurice ordered him to jump ship with her, he had no qualms about dumping his last girl. Unfortunately, it soon gave way of his reputation of being deemed a 'player' or a heart breaker. It added the mystery of his undercover persona. He didn't care. He was eventually going to leave this planet now that his application was open with Infinity. Idle relationships were unnecessary. And messy.

But nothing stung more to his person than the looks Rachel had been given him. It wasn't pity. He was starting to believe that she stopped all that nonsense with the annoyed looks he'd give her when she did it. No, this was  _disappointment._  And wariness. Like he was another one of those Executioners. Like he was Jen.

That made him a bit sick to his stomach.

As the plan to get Lizzie to go out with Vargas during the next football game was underway, Chad had unintentionally began to reach for Rachel, who instead of doing the same tease and snark she was known to give him in response, she had instead retreated slowly away from him, practically shying away from his touch. It was maddening. He didn't even understand why in the first place.

Maurice tapped his pencil against the desk, grinning. "Lover's spat again, Dickson?"

"Go sit on a cactus." Chad shot a dark glare at the new TND Director of Intelligence. Rank be damned, he remembered when Maurice had a collection of Rainbow Monkey's Sports Edition. And he enjoyed hanging that over the slightly older teen.

But Maurice was more than immune to Chad's mood swings than most and he continued to smile, obviously in on a very important secret Chad wasn't privy to. "You know, one day you're gonna wish you knew what I know sooner. Everyone can see it."

"You're seeing what you want to see," He snarked back, not liking the way this conversation was going. "She's just difficult to deal with."

"Oh? I thought we were talking about Linda," Chuckling, Maurice leaned forward in his high-backed seat, delighting in the way Chad's teeth began to grind together at the slip up. "Dude, just  _apologize_ to her. You know how hard it is for me to work with Emo Chad."

Chad frowned. "I'm  _not_  emo. Do you see me bemoaning my existence and listening to depressing alternative metal music?"

"Oh, I dunno. You seem pretty close to singing some MCR during the debriefing," Maurice teased. "But seriously, just apologize. She'll be back to insulting you and you can do the slap-kiss dance all over again and all would be right in the world."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You're ridiculous, Maurice."

"That's  _Director_  Maurice to you."

* * *

"GO KNIGHTS!" Lizzie screamed, causing Rachel to plug her ears as the rest of the crowd erupted in cheer.

It was dark and cold, the only lights were the blinding explosion of spotlights for the outside football field. McClintock High was now locked in a fierce tie with archenemy, Red Mountain, who's viking team was battling fiercely with their knights. Rachel barely understood the sport, but she was glad that Lizzie was getting into the spirit of things. It made it easier for her to meet Vargas.

She looked at her watch, finding Vargas at least a half hour late. If he rescinds on their deal, it's forfeit, and she regains control of Prometheus. Well good, she hoped he was late. She was running out of time and she needed Prometheus at all costs.

"Hey, there's that boy you were with!" Lizzie pulled excitedly at Rachel's sweater and pointed down the field. Chad was currently in a huddle with his team, his blue jersey covered with grass stains and dirt. "Chaz?"

"Chad." She corrected, her lips a thin line as she watched him move with almost an ease of leadership, directing his team in such a way that instilled confidence and passion. He seemed almost...content with what he was doing, like he had led before and could lead again. This was his element. She could tell.

But Lizzie wasn't done, deciding to elbow her in the side roughly. "He's  _cute._  And so athletic!"

"If you like jerks." Rachel snorted, folding her arms and turning away at the sight.  _You can have him._  Those were the words ready to leave her lips until she realized that wasn't the end game and Lizzie having a crush on Chad wouldn't do well for Vargas  _or_  the cause. No. She couldn't have him.

As her fingertips pressed hard into her arms, Lizzie had mistaken it for jealousy and wisely backed down. "Ooooh, I get it now. Don't worry, he's too old for me."

Rachel wasn't exactly in the mood to deny this fact. Everyone seemed to believe that they were together. She eventually realized that denying it just exacerbated the situation. But she couldn't see it. She couldn't see Chad even  _liking_  her that way, let alone fall in love with her. He was her bodyguard and nothing more.

Halftime rolled around and Vargas was still nowhere to be found. Rachel was then forced to play the psuedo-date and take Lizzie down to the snack bar now that it was break time, ignoring the pointed stare Chad was giving her back before he disappeared into the locker room with his team. Lizzie, however, was observant to everything.

"You know, I wish my Nigie looked at me the way that Chad guy is looking at you," She told her while waiting in line. "He was always busy saving kids from  _shorter_  recesses, or trying to lengthen  _snow days_. Honestly, the things he did..."

Rachel had tuned her out for only a moment, only catching the snow days bit. "Nigie? I guess you're talking about that Nigel boy from earlier?"

Lizzie huffed angrily, more at the memory than at Rachel's lack of attention. "Apparently he moved overseas. That's what his parents told me. But I know better. His friends were so secretive about it. You'd think that he had practically left the planet! I tried writing letters to him-never got any response. I mean, sure I broke up with him, but that didn't mean I forgot him, y'know? It's just..." Her expression changed to something akin to heartbreak. "I know he was meant for bigger things, but it hurts. Everyone else knows where he is and they'll never tell me."

With a pitied sigh, Rachel patted Lizzie on the shoulder. "Well...you seem to be doing good without him. Faculty Aide, Principal's Pet? Those are big things to put on college applications." Childhood loves are few too rare to last forever. "But I'm sure he thinks of you wherever he is."

That seemed to perk the younger girl up and she suddenly hugged her hard. "Thanks! I don't really have much girlfriends. Too busy, y'know? It's great to take this all off my chest."

"Y-you're welcome." Rachel stuttered, smiling all the same as she let her go. Her bracelet caught on Lizzie's necklace on the way down and the younger girl eagerly asked to look at it while they disentangled themselves.

"Oh! How beautiful!" She squealed, examining Rachel's wrist. "And it looks so expensive!"

Rachel blushed a bit, reluctantly tugging her wrist away. "Thank you." It was so much a part of her, she almost forgot that it was Chad who gave it to her almost a year ago. But Lizzie would not falter, happily chatting about the design.

"Who got you this? I would love to find the jeweler who made that!" She gushed.

So she told her. And much to Rachel's displeasure, Lizzie couldn't help but keep beaming at the answer.

"Are you sure he  _isn't_  into you?" Lizzie teased. "Because that doesn't look like a kind of thing guys would normally give girls if it's platonic. I don't think even actual boyfriends would come up with that kind of gift!"

Rachel really wished people would stop implying it because it was untrue. Chad was vicious and cruel. He thought of her as something of an inconvenience, a job to take care of. And it...that made her feel even more distant. Was he even a  _friend_  to her? He kept so many secrets, she  _knew_  he was keeping secrets.

Why would she bother dealing with a guy who kept his heart in such a dark cage?

Lizzie was quiet for a moment, taking in the words Rachel hadn't realized that she had just spilled out to her. "Nigel had lots of secrets too." And that startled Rachel, causing her to clasp a hand over her mouth. "It's okay. Listen, I always look things on the brighter side. At least it means that Chad's clever enough to keep secrets. Guys like him tend to be real shallow...and dumb. Chad doesn't seem dumb to me." She paused. "One thing you could always rely on with people like Nigel and Chad: When they're invested in something, they're _invested._  I know Nigel liked me and he never gave up on me. That was why I had to break up with him myself. And believe me, if Chad is like Nigel, I think he'd care about you. Okay, maybe not in a  _romantic_  sense. But he does care. I mean, look at that bracelet! He can't  _not_  care!"

Rachel shook her head, ignoring the double negative of Lizzie's statement. "He's obligated to care. He's my bodyguard."

"Bodyguards don't give personalized presents to their clients," Lizzie snorted. "If there's any proof that he's into you in at  _least_  a caring sense, it's what you've got wrapped around your hand."

Well, who was Rachel to judge? She was no love guru like Lizzie. Still didn't mean that she believed it.

But it helped. It helped a lot.

* * *

Vargas was such a joke. Chad snorted when he finally saw the boy meander his way around the stands to reach Lizzie and Rachel. His left tackle clapped him on the back of his helmet to get his attention.

"Back in the huddle, QB!" Anders said around his mouthpiece, returning to the huddle. Re-fixing his helmet, Chad soon followed him, relaying the next play his coach kept shouting to carry out now that the second half was in session.

This was his element. His A-game. Leading a group to victory. They had quickly gained yards as soon as he helmed the offense, reaching the end zone faster than the vikings could gain another yard.

Chad grabbed the grill of his center's helmet, bringing him close. "Shotgun."

"We're shotgunning it?" They were five yards away from a touchdown. But it was only third down, so a shotgun was unwarranted until the fourth down. But Chad was adamant, setting his center back into place as the end of the second quarter was drawing to a hard close. The stalemate needed to end now.

" _Shotgun."_

Chad yelled the commands to his offensive team, crouching down as the play commenced. It was a gamble, but he was a man of risk.

Rachel sighed and palmed her face. "Oh no."

"What?" Lizzie looked up from her soda.

While she was far from a savant in the machinations of football, Chad had talked her ear off the past year about plays and the rules of the game. He then gave up once she mixed up a touchdown with a home run. That was apparently considered sacrilege to his person, but really, her trigonometry homework was much more of a priority than going over what a safety was.

But she recognized his stance and the rare formation that she managed to memorize despite his futile attempts to teach her the way of the ball.

"That idiot is shot gunning."

* * *

"I can't believe you shot gunned." Rachel fussed, a hard frown on her features as she dabbed an alcohol-laced cotton ball against the large cut on Chad's forehead.

"I think the bigger incredulous thing is seeing that you knew what  _shotgun_  was in the first-OW!" A sharp stinging pain laced up his forehead and Chad pulled back out of instinct. They were inside the small medical cubicle, finding the star QB practically unconscious on the hospital bed before Rachel startled him awake by yelling at how reckless he was.

Once more, someone believed they were together, this time the on-staff nurse, leaving Rachel to become his own personal nurse. And, quite frankly, Chad thought her bedside manner sucked.

But Rachel was having nothing of it, grabbing the front of his stained jersey back towards her and continued to dab at the cut. And really, Chad couldn't complain. This had been the first in a week since she's voluntarily been in his personal space and, quite frankly, he was desperate enough to take what he could get from her. "This is  _your_  fault. So stupid..."

"We  _won."_  And that was all that mattered. He had plowed right through the belly of the beast and right into Massive Mallory of Red Mountain fame, who nearly cracked his head open diving into the end zone. But he got it there and McClintock cinched another victory.

"You're hurt. It's not worth it." She leaned forward to blow the stinging sensation away from his cut. "It's just a game."

"It's not  _just_  a game." He countered and he tried to elaborate on the decades long rivalry between the two schools but somehow his train of thought was short circuited, feeling a very slight brush of lips against his temple. Before he could even register what just happened, she moved away to prepare the bandage. It was unintentional, but damning. It didn't even seem like she acknowledged what she had done. But he felt every millimeter of it like electricity just shot up his spine.

This wasn't good. This  _thing_  he seemed to be so acute of whenever she did something like this wasn't good. Not at all.

She smartly stuck the bandage onto his forehead. "There." Rachel snipped. "All done." He almost wished he had more than just a cut on the head because she pulled away from his personal space again. He wasn't interested in the distance between them. Not at all.

"I'm sorry." He blurted out. He was tired of the lack of contact, the way she drew away from him. This was bad. He was in too deep. But he didn't care.

Knowing the implication of those words, she placed a smiley face bandage over the wound. "Is it really so bad having someone to talk to?" She said quietly, almost pained. "I'm not asking you to save the world. You're a good guy. You take care of me. I know that. So don't treat me like I'm some kind of enemy because I'm not."

"I don't-" Okay, he did. He treated her like a mission that needed to be concluded. Another obstacle in his way to justify his goals. And it wasn't exactly fair. Rachel McKenzie wasn't like the others he had to deal with. They were once on the same side, fighting for the same thing. She was his ally, even now.

And when she looked at him, he couldn't keep this façade going. Because she looked like she would never trust him again if he did it once more: push her away.

"I didn't have too many friends. And I don't know why." She continued, playing with the bandage wrapper to keep her hands busy. "Maybe I just didn't have time for them, I dunno. Most of my childhood is well...I don't feel like I accomplished anything worthwhile. Just school. But I'm trying to make up for it. And you've helped. You gave me Fanny and Patton and even  _Lizzie._  Lizzie of all people!" She let out a soft burst of laughter. "I didn't have anyone before."

He wished she knew the impact she made in the Kids Next Door; the people who had cared for her there. He wanted to tell her that she was loved and respected by thousands of kids worldwide and that she helped kids everywhere enjoy their childhoods at the sacrifice of her own.

And then something clicked in his head. Sacrifice. Realizing the implication of that word and the single word she had told him all those years ago, Chad softened his gaze, much to her surprise.

"You have me." He finally said, practically taking a sledgehammer and demolishing the wall between them. Because she's sacrificed enough. And to put it mildly, he never wanted her to look at him with such saddened eyes.

It took a moment for those words to sink in and then Rachel beamed. Practically beamed at him, her smile was so brilliant and alive.

"Friends?" She asked tentatively, offering her hand. He took it, fingers brushing against the warm metal of the bracelet she's religiously kept on. And that seemed to empower him.

"Friends."

* * *

Chad had caught up with Lizzie after the game, intending on wiping her memories of Nigel Uno once and for all. Gadget in hand, he had hoped that the girl would keep her mouth shut about Sector V and the Kids Next Door after her ex-boyfriend had practically disappeared off the face of the earth. She was a liability to the cause and could incriminate and compromise Numbuh 5's undercover work with her words.

Abby had told him to let it go, that she could handle it, but he didn't want to take that chance. Not with this.

"Do me a favor, Lizzie?" He smiled at her, raising what looked like a cellphone. "I'd like to take your picture. As a contact, of course."

Lizzie smiled happily and posed. "How's this? You get my good side?"

Chad quirked a smile. "Every side is your good side, Devine." Ever the charmer, she practically blushed from the compliment. He raised up the phone and pressed a button, the screen pinpointing her facial profile for a partial decommissioning. His thumb brushed against the fire button as the cross-hair turned bright red, indicating that it was ready to proceed.

He tried. He really tried to go through with it. But guilt finally began to eat at him over what he did to her that warranted the dissolution of her and Uno's relationship. Because he knew that she loved him and basically tore them apart.

With a slight grimace, he reluctantly lowered his phone. "All done."

Lizzie pinched her lips. "But I didn't see a flash...or a click!"

"It's on mute." Chad shrugged, pocketing the decommissioning device. "But it's a great shot." Before she could even open her mouth to ask and see how well it turned out, Chad walked away, deciding that McKenzie was slowly turning him into a sap.

_You owe me one, Uno._


	14. Year Two - Liberation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crowd waits with baited breath. Will the hero slay the monster the Queen has summoned?

**Year Two**  – Liberation

Vargas' first impression on Lizzie wasn't exactly memorable, nor promising. Rachel had never seen such a clash of personalities in one setting since the first day she and Chad ever saw each other. And _that_  was a pretty bad clash. Maybe Lizzie was more compatible with subservient boys, she didn't know, but as soon as Vargas talked shop about being a leader of an important group of misfits, Lizzie's opinion of him plummeted severely.

It probably had something to do with the fact that her last meaningful relationship was with a boy who was too busy leading a similar band of people like Vargas did. Possibly. But, strange enough, she adhered to the desperation of Rachel's plight: securing Prometheus' loyalty back into their ranks. Despite the set back of such a horrid date, Lizzie begrudgingly offered Vargas the invitation to the Sadie Hawkin's dance, much to everyone's surprise.

"Yeah well, sometimes we have to do things we don't like in order to make things better for others," Lizzie eventually told her. "I guess Nigel was mature in things I wasn't back then. He always sacrificed his days off for missions and stuff. I didn't like it, but I'm sure someone else who benefited from that did."

It was oddly touching to hear that from her, having been expressed that Lizzie Devine wasn't any pushover. But Rachel had struck some sort of an odd kinship with the younger girl. They both seemed to have rare people they would genuinely call friends.

So while Vargas happily relinquished Prometheus back into Phoenix's hands in time before the annual winter break, things seemed to be going the right way finally. Both professionally and personally despite the looming vice that was the Gauntlet hanging over her head.

Chad was...well, he was cordial. Add that with his usual bouts of helpfulness to make the transition almost seamless for the rebellion and Rachel could find no better man for the job. This friendship they had finally struck seemed to bring a spring in both of their steps. It was in secret, of course. Chad didn't need the added stress of the gossip that would go around that he was getting chummy with a niner and the head of the rebellion, no doubt.

But Rachel didn't mind. So long as he was always there to help her it was enough.

* * *

The Gauntlet's preliminaries represented the unification of the entire grade. After all, it wouldn't do well for the champion to garner envy and bitterness from their own classmates if they miraculously won it. A unified grade meant a unanimous decision that, whatever boon the champion wishes for, the rest of the school would follow without question.

Rachel had nothing to do with the turf wars during the coming week. Those she left for Fanny and Patton, sticking Vargas on infantry should the need arise. It was a good political move seeing as some dedicated remnants of Prometheus still considered themselves loyal to Vargas.

Turf wars were pretty simple if everyone in the grade was involved. It was basically a show of power and leadership, directing gangs to push out Executioners and other enemy forces out of their hallways and into the neutral zone until the way to the school's stadium was clear to go.

Chad's attention had been poured significantly into preparing Rachel for this event, placing his priorities with the GKND on hold until he was positive that she wasn't going to fall on her face severely from the pressure. An entire grade was counting on her to succeed. Her social life depended on it.

But it was chump change compared to the life she led back when she was Supreme Leader. What was one grade when she had thousands of attention-addled kids at her disposal? However, Numbuh 362 was gone. He had to continue to admit this. But what was left of her still remained, even in small dosages.

When Rachel rallied sympathizers to her cause, she did it with the same passion emitted back in her days in the KND. People listened to her and followed her guidance. And when he watched her attempt to encourage her tired forces to remain standing after a long drawn out turf war in one of the most strategically difficult venues in the school, there was that shadow of a Supreme Leader bleeding from the woodwork, making itself known.

"I know you guys are tired, but we need to keep going! We're almost done!" Rachel motioned, using her hands to wave them up to stand. "One more secured turf and the Gauntlet is open for us!"

"Is Christmas vacation here yet?" Fanny whined, rolling onto her back on the damaged, war-torn floor of homeroom. She had been in charge of the first wave and, despite her obvious enthusiasm for violence, it had worn out fast. Many of her 'surviving' followers groaned in sympathy.

Patton was more clear with his wariness, but he said nothing to verify it. He was raised not to show weakness in the face of battle. "Vargas should be finishing up with Zeta block. Then we're clear for the final assault." Rachel could rely on Patton for these kind of things. It was almost destiny that the two of them made their way into becoming her closest friends.

His report caused Fanny to wiggle her hands in the air with a rather lame 'yay' sound. Then she flopped back down and was out for the count. She earned it at the very least.

That was when one of the Knight of the Cool Table walked in. He was a great hulking figure covered in actual chainmail. At this point, Rachel was rather done being amazed by how faithful the students were to the whole medieval thing. "You have been summoned to the Gauntlet, Rachel McKenzie. You must come alone."

That made Fanny snap awake and jump off the floor. Her recovery time was nothing short of amazing the way she was spitting fire at the Knight. "She's not goin' anywhere wit' out 'er guards!" She snarled, stepping in front of their leader. And she wasn't alone. Patton began to move as well until Rachel held him aside.

"It's okay guys. It's tradition," She smiled in reassurance, but inside her insides were coiling unpleasantly. Chad had noted that it was an actual physical confrontation. What kind of confrontation, even he didn't know. Nevertheless, she screwed up her courage and left with the Knight, leaving a deathly quiet classroom in her wake.

That is until a moment later, where they excitedly cram out to head to the stadium.

Only Chad was left in the empty classroom, his fingers pressing into a shaking fist underneath his folded arms. That was the only tell-tale sign of his fear, the rest of his person as cool as ice as he slowly followed the rest of them.

* * *

The stadium was crammed with every single student to the point of bursting. Even the teachers, mostly retainers under Father's rule had come to watch the proceedings. As Rachel was led onto the field, there was both a loud chorus of cheering and also a heavy thrum of booing.

But these sounds didn't reach her ears. She was too nervous to even consider the audience. Once she was led to the middle of field, she was presented with a decent cache of weaponry and she paled considerably. She didn't realize that she had to  _fight._

And neither did Chad.

"This is ridiculous," He growled under his breath, watching her hesitantly look at the offered weapons on the field. Maurice hovered close by, having the decency to look nervous and grim. It wasn't a good look on him and for someone as collected as Maurice? It usually meant things might not go as well as planned. "She's not an operative anymore. They're going to eat her alive."

His gaze was refocused from the young blond teen to King John and Queen Alana on their thrones at the far end of the field, both having different expressions. While Alana's expression was smug, John was as usual oblivious to the proceedings, trying to order a hot dog from one of the vendors.

Maurice was inclined to agree. "Let's hope your muscle memory theory pays off then, yeah?"

"And what if it doesn't?"

The darker teen's glance at Chad was unreadable. "This might seem kind of late, but there's an interesting note within the Gauntlet's rules. Contenders are allowed a blade and the shield. It's tradition." He paused. "I don't see a shield in that cache. Do you?" After a moment, Chad's eyes lit up at the implications of his superior's words and retreated into the shadows, probably kicking himself for not thinking of that beforehand. Mutely pleased, Maurice returned his attention to the field, his gaze softening at his former Supreme Leader.

"I told you he was a good guy, sir."

* * *

"I don't..." Rachel's brow furrowed at the selection. "But this is all junk!" Not a single traditional sword or weapon in sight. Some of them were everyday objects like a broom or a tripod. Wringing her hands nervously, she reached out and, without thinking, grabbed a yield sign. It looked like it could do the most damage in her hands. And it felt right for some reason.

The Knight closed the cache and forced one of the band geeks to blow his trumpet, signaling the beginning of the Gauntlet. The crowd cheered even louder. "THE ROYAL HIGHNESS WILL NOW SUMMON THE OBSTACLE! THE RULES ARE THUS! ANYTHING GOES  _DUDE!_  LAST ONE STANDING DECIDES THE GAUNTLET!"

As the Knight quickly ran off, Rachel was left alone, clutching the yield sign tightly to her chest. She wasn't made to fight. To inspire, yes. To fight, _no_. And as Alana regally stood up and shouted something unfamiliar, the ground began to shake and Rachel's fear began to skyrocket.

From the other side of the field, a creature emerged and it let out an angry roar, causing everything to shake violently.

It was a dragon. An actual, honest to god, breathing dragon.

"WHAT?!" Rachel exclaimed, already ready to bolt. That was impossible! Dragons didn't exist! But here it was moving naturally like one and eyeing her like a piece of meat. Nope, no way. She stumbled backwards as the crowd began to howl for blood.

The creature opened its mouth menacingly, smoke issuing out of it's gigantic jaws. Rachel didn't need to be a mythology buff to know what happens next. She turned on her heel and ran just as it launched its attack, a pulsing cascade of water missing her by inches.

Wait, water? Tripping onto the wet grass, she saw a gigantic stream of water released from the dragon's mouth, practically demolishing the dirt and grass from where she once stood. Odd, but definitely not harmless. The force of it could seriously injure her if she was directly in that path.

"HEY! TAKE IT EASY ON THE FIELD! THE BOYS GOT PRACTICE IN THE MORNING!" The coach yelled from the sidelines, displeased more at the lack of care to his football field than to an endangered young girl.

How could she take such a thing on? Shivering in terror as the dragon began making its way toward her, the niners in the audience could only look on in horror.

"Le' me at 'em!" Fanny snarled, her attempts to climb over her seat were hindered by her fellow classmates. "I'll tear it's tail out and shove it right up it's-!" Patton said nothing to encourage, but nothing to placate, his own brow furrowed with conflict. This was impossible. It wasn't fair at all.

Rachel could do nothing but dodge each blast, the only skills she could utilize was her gymnastics but even that was in limited supply. She wasn't trained to go head-to-head with a dragon. Eventually, she had missed her next step dodging and got hit in the side, smashing hard near the rough patch by the endzone and crumpling.

Queen Alana was serene in her seat. "Forfeit McKenzie. You know you want to." Then everything will be as it should be. Her eyes narrowed however when Rachel struggled in her wet clothes to stand back up again. Despite her fear and her ineptitude, she refused to give up. "Another dose should do it." She told the dragon. Much to everyone's surprise, the dragon looked at the Queen and spoke.

"I think she's had enough." The dragon's voice was oddly strange, its accent like a teenager's slang. "Like, she's going to get hurt and stuff."

"Just do as I say!" Alana snapped and then, reluctantly, the dragon opened it's mouth for another attack.

Heaving herself up with the yield sign, Rachel's eyes widened and then squeezed shut, waiting for a blow that never came. Instead, there was a strangled howl and she opened her eyes again, seeing the dragon land on its side, its hind legs wrapped around with rope and trapped under it.

Alana stood up abruptly. "NO INTRUDERS ALLOWED!" But there he was, one of the Knights of the Cool Table in full armor, placing himself between the dragon and Rachel. King John lowered his sunglasses for a closer examination. "Cool dude! I think that's Carl! Sup Carl!"

The Queen grabbed the nearest Grand Wizard and shook him angrily. "Disqualify her! The rules state-!"

"-that she's allowed a shield." The Grand Wizard finished, rearranging his glasses nervously. "Chapter 7, paragraph 4, line 9: 'Thou shalt the contender carry a blade to battle. May the contender carry a shield to present in the face of adversity. May the shield represent loyalty and give the poor loser strength be it wood, steel, or  _flesh.'"_  Then he wrung his hands. "It's a very lousy loophole, but our editor was out with the cold so we weren't able to fix that..."

"TRAITOR!" Alana shoved the Wizard aside and yelled at the Knight, but it was drowned out by the sounds of confusion and cheers. One of the highest soldiers went up against the Crown.  _Willingly._

Rachel didn't understand. "What...why are you doing this?" The Knight turned, but she couldn't see who it was under the helmet. In an act of complete defiance, he took Rachel's hand and knelt down, his helmet pressed gently against her fingers.

"Because my loyalty is to you, m'lady." The crowd roared in a mixture of emotions and Alana's face reddened in anger. No noble has ever put a niner above them in rank. "My shield is your shield. My armor is your armor." Yet, despite the metallic sound of the Knight's voice, Rachel's brown eyes sightly widened. The intonation was familiar. "Besides..." The Knight stood up, his voice less regal and more natural. "Someone's gotta take care of your pear-like behind."

"Chad?" She whispered, stunned as he approached the dragon just as it managed to untangle itself. Him being there had suddenly rejuvenated her and she immediately moved to stand beside him. He'd never let her down. They could do this! "There's...I think the dragon's a fake!" She told him, her expression determined. "It talked! Like a teen!"

"I noticed." A deadpan note echoed out from under his armor which clunked uncomfortably. He was more used to the fluidity of his Teen Ninja armor. "Find the weak point. I'll distract it."

She opened her mouth to protest against it, but faltered. Chad turned his helmet towards her, portraying an air of finality. Nothing she could have said would have deterred him from doing his job. His job was to protect her. At any cost. At the very least, she wouldn't let him down, knowing that she had a better chance using what little skills she had finding a weak point while Chad battled the dragon.

"Try not to fall behind." She didn't know why she said that, but it felt right and while Chad led the dragon off, she pressed forward, weaving in and out around the dragon's legs to find some kind of opening or something.

The dragon reared back to snap at Chad, only for the older teen to smack it upside the nose with his shield. It roared in anger, nearly stepping on Rachel as it stumbled back. But she was fast and maneuverable, managing to tumble forward to avoid getting hit.

That was when she saw a large zipper on the back of the dragon. "CHA-ERR...MY KNIGHT!" Rachel wasn't sure whether Chad wanted to be realized he was in the armor or not. "I FOUND IT!" She exclaimed, pointing at the back.

Immediately the dragon swiveled it's head back at her, launching a heavy pump at water at her. "Think fast!" Chad yelled, tossing his shield like a disc at her. Catching it, Rachel hid behind it as the water hit metal, avoiding most of the pressure. That was when Chad took the initiative to get it back into his sights, thrusting his sword right into the dragon's paw.

"AUGHAAAAAAAAAAA!" The dragon let out a pained screech and turned its attention back onto the boy. Without a moment to spare, Chad jumped out of its way, kneeling towards Rachel with his palms outstretched. "Come!" He ordered. And for some reason, she knew exactly what he wanted. Nodding once, she ran toward him, using Chad's hands as a launch pad as she jumped into them. With surprising strength, he launched her into the air and...what was natural to her just came.

She didn't even realize that she just back-flipped into the air, her mind surprisingly blank as the muscle memory from her KND days kicked in. With a grace unseen since the time on the ferris wheel, she landed onto the dragon's back and mindlessly scrambled to pull down the large zipper at the base of its neck.

_You were born to do this._

The zipper wouldn't budge. With a growl, she grabbed the bottom end of her yield sign and jammed it into the hole, using the momentum and weight to pull it down. One final tug and her along with the zipper, she slid down, opening up the back of the dragon's costume. And with it, a gaggle of seniors stumbled out of the mechanism, the cheap exoskeleton crashing along with them.

Fanny gaped at what just happened. "I didn' know she could do that!" And she wasn't the only one. The crowd fell silent, astonished by what just happened. And then a roar unlike any other erupted to the victors.

"NO! SHE CHEATED!" Alana howled, but the crowd pay no heed. The band geek signaled the end with the sound of his trumpet, this time of his own accord. Realizing what she had done, Rachel turned to her knight and beamed.

"I- _-we_  did it!" She jumped into his arms and tried to wound her arms around the large pauldrons, attempting to hug the daylights out of him. "I couldn't have done it without you!"

King John whistled lowly. "That was awesome!" He took an interested look at the victor. "Heeeey, you never told me that she was a cute little thing!"

That did it. Alana screamed an inhuman scream, startling everyone including the flaky king. The air around her began to singe and ignite, fire erupting around her. Even Chad, who had considered himself the ultimate triple agent with intel, didn't expect the Queen to become a flaming ball of...like  _Father._

"...please tell me this is fake like the dragon." Rachel stared wide-eyed at Queen Alana's murderous state, her fingers tangling desperately into Chad's chainmail from fear. The young woman's fueled gaze snapped to her and her alone.

Chad gaped through his armor. "...I don't think so." Though his thoughts took a morbid turn to humor.  _Please don't let that be Father in drag. Please don't let that be Father in drag._

Realizing that this wasn't normal...or at least as normal as they were used to, the crowd around the thrones dispersed in fear. Even the seniors who controlled the dragon ran off in terror as the Queen jumped and landed onto the field in a fireball-like fashion, the grass around her engulfed and charred. Despite being caught off guard, Chad immediately put himself between them.

Unfortunately, Alana had no qualms with the Knight. With a strength Chad had not anticipated, she managed to shove him aside, his chestplate melted down where she touched him. Before he could get back up, Alana immediately threw up a giant dome of blue fire that covered the entire field, separating everyone except the two inside.

Cursing colorfully, Chad attempted to run back in, hoping that the armor would protect him long enough to get through. Otherwise, burns be damned. But Maurice and Cree pulled him back, with Fanny and Patton trailing behind.

"Do something!" Fanny demanded and Patton was already one step ahead, testing the heat using one of the discarded weapons. It melted almost instantly.

"There's no way we'll be able to get inside." Patton said grimly, tossing the melted stop sign aside.

As the red head let out a frustrated growl, Chad tossed his helmet aside, his features disheveled and covered with soot as he was forced to calm himself and investigate the fire.

"Did you know that Alana could do that?" Maurice turned to Cree, his calm features contrast to Chad's twisted expression. The blond ignored them and began to grab something, anything that would provide an opening to get inside.

Cree scoffed, just as mad that she was out of the loop about it. "No way. I knew that Father had her in his pocket but I didn't realize how deep that was. Is she  _like...related_  to him or something?" Maurice didn't have an answer to that. The two teens the watched as Patton helped Chad pick up a bench and hurl it at the flames. Like the metal pole, it ate up the entire wooden structure without so much as a hiccup.

"Do something!" Chad snarled, which surprised Cree. The blond had always been cool and collected under pressure. Even during Father's most volatile moments, Chad had hardly flinched. But here he was desperate and wild looking, pacing the flames like a caged animal.

Maurice said nothing. He couldn't tell Chad that there was nothing they could do. They didn't expect Alana to possess power like Father and therefore didn't have the appropriate measures against it.

And perhaps, mirrored in the frustration in his blue eyes, Chad knew that too.

In spite of it, he roared against the flames. "RACHEL!"

* * *

Separated from Chad, Rachel remained on instinct mode, going along with her strangely moving body as it dodged a burning blue fireball as big as her own body. She rolled into a crouch, never having done it before.

But by how easy she did it, she began to seriously doubt her claims.

"Stay still you little twerp!" Alana hissed, tossing not one, but two fireballs at her direction. Rachel tumbled out of the way and ran, but to where she had no idea. Everywhere she tried to run was blockaded by heavy flame. "You just had to do this the hard way, didn't you? Why couldn't you just stay put and know your place?!"

Rachel snapped back in spite of the danger she was facing. "Because no one should be treated like dirt! Things have to change!"

Alana's fiery presence wavered for a moment. "You're right," She said softly, dangerously. "Things will change. Starting with you AS A CHARRED UNDATEABLE BIT OF NOTHING!" A large flame erupted from under Alana's feet, a blue as cold as her eyes as it attempted to engulf the blond girl.

She got way just in time, only to find her sleeve aflame. With a frightened gasp, she instinctively stopped to drop and roll away from the older girl, the flames eating up her sleeve completely. Patting away the remnants of the fire, she was afraid that it melted her bangle only to find it impeccably perfect in comparison to the state of her arm, which she was sure was burned. Fortunately, adrenaline kept her from feeling the pain of it.

Ending up near the torn down dragon costume, Rachel began to toss whatever was at hand at Alana, who effortlessly destroyed it with her fire. Becoming more frustrated than fearful, a glint of silver caught her eye.

"This is kind of cliché, but...any last words?" The older girl said regally, creating a plethora of fireballs right behind her. This time, Rachel had nowhere to run.

" _RACHEL!"_  A voice hollered across the wall of blue flame. Alana turned toward the sound. That was Rachel's chance. She ran as fast as she could, her legs and arms scratched up as she slid onto the dirt for her target.

"Hey Alana!" Alana turned back to her, only to find the end of a giant fire hose that her senior flunkies used for the dragon costume. Rachel grinned at her, banking on those last words. "You're all WASHED OUT."

A gush of water exploded from the hose, causing Rachel to fall backwards from the force. Despite Alana's efforts, her fire had no effect on the water and she was hit pointblank by the end of it. Knocked out from the pressure, the dome of fire extinguished completely. Chad wasted no time to run in, finding Rachel seated on the charred ground and wincing, the hose completely emptied out.

Cree whistled lowly at Alana's unconscious profile. "Long live the Queen," She mocked nastily. "Or should I say...our new Queen." Maurice followed his girlfriend's gaze, now focused hungrily at the prone ex-Supreme Leader being tended to her fussy bodyguard. He knew what she saw. She saw a potential recruit. Chad would have to be even more on guard if he intended to keep Rachel neutral.

The crowd eventually returned and, seeing the state of the field erupted into cheers. The Gauntlet had been satisfied. And even more, defeating the Queen meant Alana had forfeited the crown to her, the older teen's gamble backfiring spectacularly.

Maurice foresaw Alana's transport out using the Teen Ninjas, the intel about her surprising 'fire' powers invaluable to TND intelligence. He'd rather have her under his watch than under Infinity's and usually he would; oftentimes he had more than one argument with Chad over intel, the blond boy having no choice but to be a lapdog for Infinity.

But instead of Chad demanding that Alana be under the GKND's care, he was more worried about checking over the Rachel's burns. Maurice considered them for another moment, watching as she sheepishly laughed when Chad began to chastise her for something she had no control over.

Yet despite the chants from the crowd claiming their victor as  _Queen_  Rachel, their whole world seemed to focus on each other and nothing else. It didn't take a rocket science to understand what he saw.

He just hoped that Chad wouldn't be denied the chance to be something greater again. And it didn't have to be in a place out of this world. Maybe one day he'll see that extraordinary things can happen right here on Earth.


	15. Year Two - Interlude II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A time for quiet again. Two heroes learn to trust but it may not be easy for outside forces aim to tear them apart.

**Year 2**  – Interlude II

Chad had always been treading on thin ice with Father, especially ever since Nigel officially seemed to disappeared from the face of the earth. His nephew's mysterious absence and the man's lack of revenge over Sector V had left him even more volatile and vengeful than ever.

But seeing as he was unable to stay with Rachel as she went to a proper doctor to take care of her burn injuries, he had disappeared from her side to deal with damage control. He remembered her angered exclamation as he avoided medical help in the process.

Father was seething in his mansion as usual, the Delightful Children-no, Delightful  _Teens_  not too far away. They greeted him in unison as cordial as possible, but their age revealed more than subservience. Sometimes Chad could see a bit more spark in the girls' eyes when he arrived, the first flare of hormones that not even Delightfulization could take away. It could be the same for the boys whenever Cree arrived, but he didn't personally know.

"Right this way, Mr. Dickson," they trilled, almost bowing to let him through. No doubt they were happy that it'd be him facing Father's wrath than them. He ignored them and their sudden flinching look at his dirtied profile, leftover remnants from the Gauntlet that hadn't been cleaned or tended to. Chad didn't care about his state of dress, nor cared about the Delightful's phobia for germs.

The man was angry. A wall of fire similar to Alana's but far more deadlier threatened to incinerate the blond teen, but he wasn't afraid nor in the mood to deal with the man's irregular mood swings. Fire lightly licked around him until Father finally calmed down.

"What is this?! Where's the girl?!" Father bellowed moving dangerously close. "WHERE IS SHE?!"

"Alana's in protective custody with the Teen Ninjas sir."

That didn't seem to be the answer Father was expecting. "I MEAN THAT SUPREME LEADER! THE ONE WHO ATE THROUGH ALL THAT BROCC-" The man paused to shiver before he exploded again. "THE YOU-KNOW-WHAT! I WANT HER!"

_You can't have her_ , was on his lips. Instead he feigned confusion. "Why?"

Father began to pace. "She took down one of my family! I want her destroyed or I want her recruited. NOW."

Seeing an opening, Chad tried to change the subject. His eyebrow climbed with skepticism. "Alana's... related to you?"

"Well, technically she's my cousin's daughter twice removed..." Father said amicably, his tone changing completely as reached into his wallet for the appropriate photos. "She was so cute when she was-DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT!" He whirled angrily at Chad, his eyes aflame. "HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECRUIT ONE. STUPID. TEENAGER?! I DIDN'T RECOMMEND YOU TO JAMES MCKENZIE FOR KICKS!"

The blond wasn't deterred, his expression hard. "What did you expect? Numbuh 362 was a  _Supreme_   _Leader._  The only reason you have me is because  _you_  need  _me._ " Father bristled at the remark. "HOW. DARE. YOU."

"You couldn't recruit Numbuh 100 either. Did you think we were the leaders of the entire global Kids Next Door for kicks and giggles?" Chad continued, egging the man on. "We're made of more than just fighting moves, Father. McKenzie is strong. She's resilient. You want someone like that on your side, you have to have her loyalty the hard way. No tricks, no illusions. Just the truth."

Father finally took a step back, contemplating Chad's words. "And you think you're the man for the job?"

Chad sneered. "You got anybody else who was a former Supreme Leader?" That seemed to convince Father. But only for now.

"I'm warning you, boy," Father drew himself up again, a threatening fire making Chad's hair raise up from the tenseness of the air. "I better see results. Or so HELP ME, I'M GOING TO-!" And then mansion's roof blew apart, a tornado of fire shooting out into the sky before it instantly settled. The Delightful Teens from Down the Lane looked up at the damage and chuckled nervously.

* * *

Maurice was trying not to laugh and focus on his driving. "Are you sure you don't want to get those burns checked out?"

"No."

This time he couldn't help it. Maurice bit down his tongue and idly drummed his fingers on the wheel. "At least let me drop you off to a decent salon, dude."

"Shut. Up."

Chad's hair was even worse than before, the blast from Father's wrath causing his blond locks to stick out all over the place. Add it on with his already soot covered face and the teen looked like he had just left an atomic bomb testing event.

"Alright seriously. You look ridiculous man." This time he met Chad's steel blue eyes and immediately returned his gaze to the road in front of them, his shoulders shaking regardless. Chad didn't care about his looks. That wasn't the reason for his moody phase. Not only was he still in hot water with Father, but Infinity had called him immediately after, demanding a report about Alana's connection to Father.

Maurice did not envy Chad. Not one bit.

After a long silence, Maurice pulled to a stop at a traffic light. Chad finally talked shop. "Where's Alana?"

"Recuperating in Base 7-11," Maurice answered, his mirth all but evaporated in favor of the job. "We've got her fire suit under lock down for fear of retaliation. She's not exactly thrilled that she's lost the crown to a Freshman." Chad snorted.

"But this isn't the reason why you decided to pick me up." The blond knew there was something up. Maurice was far too busy to make a house call if he could help it. Chad had been expecting some Teen Ninja lackey to pick him up; not the new leader of the TND.

Maurice's face turned grim. "It's the new Supreme Leader. There's been a problem."

That got Chad's complete undivided attention. "What problem? I thought she was doing fine. A little young, but capable." Maurice shook his head.

"Capable, but a bit of a pushover. We think this may be the reason why she was nominated."

Light dawned on Chad's features. He didn't like where this was going. "You think she was put on there as a scapegoat? I thought you said her Global Tactical Officer would keep her safe from the politics."

"Things have changed," Maurice said, gripping the steering wheel hard. "This new splinter cell isn't working behind the scenes anymore. They're recruiting now. And the KND aren't making the effort to stop decommissioned operatives from escaping. They're too busy dealing with...politics.  _Politics_  for crissakes. Kids are taking sides. This group has made it completely known that they despise adults. And not in the way the KND stood for. They want to get rid of anyone that's not a kid. Teens, adults,  _parents._ "

Chad grimaced and relaxed against the seat, but the thoughts going through the motions in his head was anything but relaxed. Maurice had picked him up because he needed tactical decisions from a former Supreme Leader. Everywhere he went he was being used left and right. "Then get the Supreme Leader to do a search and dismiss on every operative who's an orphan or hates their parents. Dishonorable decommissions preferably without trial to speed the process along." That's what he would have done if he was the Supreme Leader again. It was harsh, probably unfair, but it would significantly diminish this splinter cell's ranks.

Maurice said nothing, but the blond could tell that he was processing this option and putting it away for future use. "Sonya would never do that to her operatives. That's...barbaric."

"That's global security." Chad responded sharply. "I'd rather have a fractured Moonbase than a destroyed Global Command." And that was why he was considered the best. He did whatever it took to protect the Kids Next Door. There was nothing he wouldn't try. A means to an end. Maurice knew that. "And besides," The blond continued. "Maybe you shouldn't have put the girl in the role if she's not going to do whatever it took to protect her operatives."

" _Rachel_  did fine in the role and she didn't have to resort to such tactics to get her kids in line." That made Chad tense up. He glowered at the windshield while Maurice continued. "They respected her."

"They respected  _me_  too." Chad hissed back, offended. "I wasn't always known as the ultimate traitor to the cause! Was that all I was known for? My numbuh blackened from ever being used again, my service medals and accolades repossessed and stricken from the Archives-"

Maurice sheepishly nodded, knowing that he walked right into that. "Yeah, yeah. Sorry about that. Didn't mean to reopen new wounds." In fact, he commended the sacrifices Chad had made, even if said sacrifices were a means for his own gain if anything. The blond spitting angrily in the seat next to him was still a legend even if it was still a bit tarnished. A bitter legend who, despite everything that was promised to him snatched away in an instant, still believed in justice for children.

When they pulled into the McKenzie estate, Rachel was already sitting on the steps attempting to bat away her nanny as she tried to get her to go back inside.

"I'm alright, Noni. Leave me alone." She pouted irritably, waving her off. Her expression changed, however, when Chad and Maurice parked in front of the driveway and got out. "Hey! Where have you been?!"

As she bounded over, Chad noticed her left forearm completely bandaged and his insides turned to ice. The first thought in his mind was that she was burned badly and that he had failed in his duty.

With her free arm, she wound it hard around the blond's neck and hugged him for all he was worth. That was what snapped him out of his defeated reverie. "Ow, ow...sorry. My fault. It's the arm." She even had the gall to wave it in front of his face.

Chad grabbed the wrist, a bit more gentler than usual when she lightly flinched, in order for her to stop. "Why aren't you resting?" He accused under his breath, fully expecting her to be bedridden in order to explain to her probably pissed off father about what happened to her arm. "Go back to bed!"

Rachel resisted the urge to pout. Instead, she glared at him though it lacked any actual anger. "You left when I was getting checked into the nurse. I was  _worried._  You didn't come out of the Gauntlet unscathed either you know."

Chad snorted. "It's not your job to worry about me. I'm indispensable."

And that got her angry. "You are NOT." She growled, tugging the front of Chad's shirt down to get him at eye level. "You are just as valuable as anyone else, Dickson! Especially to me. You're  _my_  bodyguard! If something happens to you, who's going to protect me?" That seemed to snap him out of his pitiful funk, his eyes widening at her declaration. Rachel's gaze softened now that she had his attention. "Aren't we friends? Aren't I supposed to worry about you?"

"...McKenzie." Was all Chad could say, his words slightly stunned. She looked at him and he could have sworn he saw Numbuh 362 past those older brown eyes. Regal, compassionate, and with the power to stir any heart into action in her name. He was instantly mesmerized, understanding now why everyone had loved her; why they looked to her for guidance. If she asked him to jump off a cliff to save the world, he'd do it in an instant.

It was only for a second, for Maurice broke the spell by clearing his throat. "You're welcome, you know." Chad only glared at him before ordering Rachel back into the house, much to her displeasure.

"I'm not dying!"

She always wanted to do things the hard way. Without another word, Chad picked her up bridal style and headed back inside, starting the whole song and dance about her complaining and him not caring.

Maurice looked on with amusement before sighing and returning to his car, snickering when he heard Rachel exclaim in bewilderment over what happened to Chad's hair.

He had a lot of damage control to take care of.

* * *

Infinity sipped a cup of hot cocoa in his dimly lit office, the whole place looking advanced like something out of a Sci-Fi film. It was a stark contrast to the mug that he was holding, the decal being a green Rainbow Monkey wearing a Star Wars getup with the phrase 'Let the Hugs be with you!' emblazoned below it.

The report he had on Alana Benedict was not up-to-date. Not in comparison to the TND's file they had on her. Numbuh 274 was supposed to update him  _hours_  ago.

Infinity never truly got mad. It wasn't in his nature. However he was capable of feeling frustration; impatience made his fingers twitch against the mug. Dickson had never been late on a report, much too involved to the cause to be sidetracked for anything else.

Except for now. For the tertiary candidate that turned down their invitation. Taking another sip to sooth away his impatience, he drew up Numbuh 362's file despite the fact that he had already combed through every nuance and accolades that belonged in her name. In the end, Infinity closed the file again, sure that 274's interest in her was purely physical, seeing as he was a teenager. Teenagers do that: the biological imperative to breed offspring was awakening with every birthday passed.

But this couldn't last. Eventually, Nigel's request would have to be circumvented in favor of the greater good. Eventually, Infinity would like his informant back.

Romantic love was an adult construct. One that will eventually be stamped out of 274 before his ascension.

* * *

The burn looked as bad as it actually was. Cosmetic damage was what the doctor had told her. Bonfire accident was what Rachel had told her father when he took her to the burn unit personally even when the school nurse recommended against it.

The excuse helped explain the cuts on her legs and arms, recounting about how she realized her sleeve was on fire and she rolled down concrete to get it off. It was much more believable than telling the truth: that she had fought a dragon and a fire spitting socialite high above the social food chain. Rachel still couldn't get over how crazy it was. Even if it was  _true._

Chad looked over the arm himself when her nanny reappeared to change the gauze. Repaying the favor Rachel had done for him during his football game, he ordered the nanny out to do the changing himself much to the older woman's displeasure.

"That was mean." Rachel narrowed her eyes at him, not exactly happy that he was manhandling his way back into being not just bodyguard but her  _nanny_  too. But then again, she'd come to realize that this was Chad's abrasive way of being  _nice_ , so she didn't complain further when he gave her a look.

"What's she complaining about? She's getting a well-deserved break. Now she's free to go and wipe Harvey's butt or something." Chad said, examining the entirety of the burn. His grin grew when, despite herself, she laughed.

He made a face however when his nostrils came in contact with the smell of antiseptic. "Ugh. That's disgusting." Rachel stuck her tongue at him when he reapplied the nasty smelling medicine. "Suck in that tongue before I make you  _taste_  this stuff."

Her tongue immediately retreated at the threat. Another scathing retort was on her lips until she realized that Chad's shoulders were extremely tense, his movements almost mechanical as he rubbed the salve on her arm. He was guilty of the burn.

An idea hit her. "Hey," she smiled at him. "You know, this isn't the only burn I've got." He raised a quizzical glance at her once he finished wrapping her arm up. He tensed when she started to raise up her shirt.

"Hey now!" Chad nervously looked between her and the door. "Don't you know the odds of someone coming in are raised when someone takes their clothes off?" Glaring at him, Rachel lowered her shirt a bit.

"I'm not taking the shirt off!" She blushed hotly. "I want you to look at my back is all!"

It was an honest question. But one that would have caused many boys his age to question why he would ask such a thing when a girl was willing to take her shirt off. "Why?"

Shaking her head, she turned away from him, continuing to edge her shirt up. Curious despite himself, he leaned forward, finding it hard to swallow the further she showed more skin.

"Don't be a creep," Rachel mumbled, as if realizing what she was doing in front of a sixteen year old boy. "Do you see it?" Now he saw it.

Just right on the dip of her lower back there was an odd patch of discoloration, extremely pale against the light pink tinge of her skin. He remembered that burn scar, his throat tightening even further for a completely different reason.

During his rule as Supreme Leader, Numbuh 362 was under accommodation to take his place once he turned thirteen. While they didn't really know each other socially, professionally they worked in tandem for her preparation to take his job. During this trial, there was a breach on Moonbase. The Teen Ninjas were after a large cache of newly turned operatives before they reached decommissioning.

Numbuh 362 had led a security detail with him onto the Leda deck for her first test in command.

"It's weird why I don't remember when I got this," She snapped him out of his memories, feeling embarrassed from his silence. "I actually have a lot of scars. On my legs, my arms, even my neck."

" _You don't have to do this," Numbuh 362 said softly, taking a careful step back as the renegade operative raised her weapon to her._

_Numbuh 274 hid behind a large boiler, hoping to put the drop on the operative while 362 had her distracted. Deathly still, he watched as 362 attempted to calm the thirteen year old down._

" _I don't want to be decommissioned!" The operative cried out, her hands trembling on the weapon. If 274 didn't act soon, one of them was going to get injured. What he didn't know was that there was a Teen Ninja cautiously coming up from behind him, ruler up and ready to strike._

_Numbuh 362, however, noticed the slight glimmer of metal due to her years as a spy and her eyes widened in alarm at 274. Unfortunately while it alerted 274 to the intruder behind him, it alerted the girl to his presence, causing mayhem as 362 launched herself at the girl and 274 dealt with the Teen Ninja._

_And then he heard a painful scream. Managing to knock the Teen Ninja out, the girl had managed to escape, leaving 362 on her belly, her hands blinding reaching behind herself. That was when he noticed that her back was smoking._

" _She shoved me into one of the active boilers." 362 had sobbed out when he carried her out of the Leda deck. He was careful not to exacerbate the wound, his eyes soft with concern. "I'm sorry I lost her."_

_Shaking his head, he had her wheeled into the Moonbase ER, ever the compassionate cool leader. "You did good, Numbuh 362. You did good." She helped save his hide at the cost of her own after all. And he had no problem afterward giving the stamp of approval to have her candidacy recognized while she was in recovery._

Eyes softening with slight guilt at the memory, (a memory that he selfishly had and she didn't), he dutifully grabbed the hem of her shirt and tugged it down, patting her sides in sympathy until she whined about how ticklish she was and batting his hands away. "Ha, ha! Stop!"

"The wound is old," he told her frankly, disguising his wave of nostalgia for a practical air. "We get tons of injuries when we're kids. Sometimes we even forget we ever had them." It was the same old excuse operatives told the former ones, easing them from the suspicion that maybe, once upon a time, they were a part of something greater.

Rachel considered that, turning back toward him. "You're probably right. I must have been quite the active kid then!" That made him smile and in turn, caused her to smile. "You know, you look good when you smile like that. You should keep on doing that."

Instead of hiding behind a mask of coldness like he usually did, he humored her by keeping the expression. She beamed at him for it. "Why?"

"Because you look less like an alien. You know the whole bad boy, mopey thing is so out of style!" That earned her a pillow to the face. "Hey! I'm injured here!"

"You're injured? I'm injured!" Chad unceremoniously took off his shirt to show the untreated burn on his stomach. Rachel instantly covered her face at the immodesty before even seeing it.

"Don't take off your shirt! You're hideous!" She laughed between her fingers, his response sardonic. When she peeked through them, she dropped playful Rachel in favor for indignant Rachel. "Why didn't you have that treated, you idiot?!" Abandoning all pretenses about being a 'lady', she grabbed the ointment and the gauze. "Come here!"

Chad wrinkled his nose at the salve. "Ugh. No. I'm not having that smell on me." She grabbed him anyways and, with surprising tact, managed to get him trapped on his back while she tended to his wound.

"It's going to get infected if you don't clean it!" She narrowed her gaze at him, threatening him to even move an inch. "I'll take off my bandage if you even so much as twitch a finger."

He couldn't help it. He twitched a finger at her. Huffing, she set the gauze aside and started to unravel his meticulous hard work. "Alright, alright! Geez!" Satisfied with his answer, she returned to fixing him up. "And for the record," he drawled. "I think I'm suffocating on your Rainbow Monkey."

"He'll live," She simply responded, unraveling the gauze. "So long as one doesn't struggle, you can hold your breath for three minutes."

"And you've taught this to your Rainbow Monkey, have you?"

"Yep." She quipped happily, climbing off of him. A cold draft hit him, somewhat aware that her warmth on his lap disappeared. "It's been two minutes. Now get up." He wiggled his back into the mattress in defiance, delighting in her exasperated response before getting up and finally allowing her to roll the gauze around his torso.

Rachel even had the decency to look over his shoulder. "You okay, Workaholic Rainbow Monkey?" She cooed at her stuffed plush. He fought back the urge to shove it into the garbage compactor downstairs and turn the sucker on.

 


	16. Year Three - Interruption

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm.

**Year Three**  – Interruption

Rachel bemoaned the state of her orange sweater. The left sleeve had completely dissolved away from the fire almost a year ago and she had to personally apologize to Chad's mother for the state of gift. But his mother simply tutted and delicately examined the torn up fabric.

"Not to worry dear! I'll just make you a new one!" She smiled sweetly at Rachel, revealing perfect white teeth. It reminded the teen of a mother from the 50's, all sweet and motherly and perfectly coiffed in her Sunday's best.

She really liked Chad's mother. "I'm really really sorry about that." She bowed her head down, ignoring the amused snort from the other side of the kitchen. "And I'm sorry it took so long to show you. I was just really guilty about ruining it."

Mrs. Dickson merely laughed and waved away the apology. "Not at all! I'm glad you actually wore it for once! Chad-dear never wore the sweaters I make him."

And thank god. He was glad that his mother found a new victim for her horrible fashion pieces instead of him. Though, he glanced at the ruined sweater with a hint of wistfulness, that  _was_  a very nice sweater. The color was solid and, if it was still intact today, it would have fit Rachel perfectly.

That was when his eyes began to wander without him realizing, the conversation his mother and Rachel were having faded in the background. Chad was watching with an acuteness of how Rachel held herself, her new jeans tightening over long legs the result of a sudden growth spurt over the summer. As he continued his gaze upward, the jeans ended in a low cut, no doubt Cree's doing. She always had a thing about emphasizing the hips with positive results. It was interesting to look at, sure, but he'd rather have her only wear that at home. Chad wasn't the only one who would be keen to look and anybody else who tried would severely regret it.

Shaking his head, her cotton t-shirt was modest enough to cover any skin the jeans didn't cover, but that was the end of it. The shirt was tight, doing it's job to hug in the right places, revealing a very narrow waist just begging to be held. His fingers twitched in his pockets at the thought and squelched the idea down.

Finally noticing that she was being scrutinized, Rachel partially glanced at him, her expression one of great suspicion. He raised an eyebrow back causing her to huff and turn away again. This time she instinctively hid herself from him, modestly covering her growing chest under folded arms. Not wanting to be caught looking like a creep at the obvious physical changes the girl was going through, his gaze finally returned to where it belonged, her facial features still soft but starting to become angular with age.

But what really interested him was those cascading golden locks, long and professionally taken care of. She could afford the high priced secrets of celebrity hair care which made those strands thick and soft to look at, no doubt soft to touch as well. His fingers flexed again, wanting to run his fingers through her hair, right that black headband that was slightly askew and...

Rachel snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Earth to Chad Dickson. What the heck are you thinking about?"

He answered truthfully. "How even after a year, you still look like a pear."

"I DO NOT!" She flipped her long hair at him in retaliation, though it backfired when he caught a fistful and gingerly pulled her over. "HEY!" She laughed, trying to free herself. Chad managed to grab her headband, waving it over her head as she tried to jump for it. "Give that back!"

"Say please."

"Ugh.  _Please."_  Winning this round, Chad smugly ordered her to turn around, succeeding in getting what he wanted. "Creep."

"Your lack of complaining indicates otherwise," He snarked back, fingers running through those soft locks. She may not have thought he realized it but a small shudder ran up her spine, fully aware of how sensitive she was regarding the handling of her hair. Going as slow as possible, he meticulously made sure that every strand was in order before pulling the rest back with the headband.

By the time he was finished, she was quite content by his ministrations despite herself. "Are you  _purring?"_  He teased, insufferably smug when she stiffened under his fingers.

"Hey. Shut up." Rachel chirped and coyly escaped his grasp. He paid special attention to how nicely her hair swished with her movements. "I've got an assembly to get to, slave. Rev up your bike."

Snorting, he managed to goose her from behind and get away before she could manage to hit him. "Your wish is my command, your  _majesty."_

She folded her arms and had the decency to exude an air of regalness. "That's  _Madam President_  to you."

* * *

And Madam President she was. After the Gauntlet, she returned the next day baffled that students older than her were waiting on hand and foot, expecting the first order of the day. Understanding how gradual the process would be to turn a monarchy back into a democracy, she kept the title of Queen for a few months. Though sometimes Chad would egg her on and comment that she probably liked the title too much to change it. That usually ended up with him outside of her new office for days at a time.

By the time the year ended, she had managed to toss the entire caste system altogether and enforced separate student councils by year. And because she was still deemed Queen as she approached sophomore year, she was even more active in finishing the overhaul.

"You can take the Supreme Leader out of the command deck, but you can't take the command deck out of the Supreme Leader," Maurice had said, no doubt pleased that as the first Senior President election in the last buhmillion years began, he had been nominated for candidacy.

Chad snorted, but said nothing. Despite all the trouble, he had to admit that Rachel's improvements to McClintock had made the school a more wholesome place. Abby had told them, with a slight hardened air towards Chad, that Freshman year was actually looking forward to joining the high school's ranks for the first time in years.

"I'm glad," Rachel had said, formally shaking Abby's hand. "I know you'll do good work,  _Freshman President_."

What Rachel didn't know was that despite her attempts to make McClintock purely democratic, every election had been rigged, the school already so far deep into both the TND's and the Teen Ninjas' pockets that they had become two shadow parties vying for their best candidates to lead. Technically, Rachel had been the only neutral party president of her year.

Abigail Lincoln secured a place for the Freshman Council in the name of the TND which went double for Maurice as a double agent under Father's banner. Though the Teen Ninjas had managed to secure the Junior Presidency by putting Cavellero's little brother in the position. With two TND agents in power over the Teen Ninjas, Maurice considered this a victory.

But while the teens had finally found their niche through unity, reports regarding the Kids Next Door took a turn for the worst. Maurice's agents had suggested that despite Numbuh 83's best intentions, tensions continued to rise. They had estimated that by the beginning of next year, Global Command would fall first.

Chad wasn't amused by this.

"Make someone else Supreme Leader!" He growled, pacing angrily in Maurice's office. "The KND doesn't need  _compassion,_  it needs a freaking dictator!" The idea that the command structure that they had built and upheld for all those years were to crumble because of a weak commanding officer left him seething. Even if it wasn't Sonya's fault. She had been left with the bag after Numbuh 5 had to eventually depart, but she had done very little to stem the rebellion.

Maurice, on thin ice as it was, had to admit that things weren't going in their favor. While the teens were growing in strength, initiation into the KND had reached an all-time low. "We are considering putting Numbuh 84 in Sonya's place. He's a bit more...well, the Command Deck respects his reserved style of command. Maybe a little structure is what we need at this juncture."

"Damn straight."

"Language," Maurice lightly mocked, earning himself a glare from the blond teen.

* * *

When Chad wasn't reporting to Father, or Maurice, or even Infinity, he preferred his private time to be extremely quiet. It allowed his usually busy mind to calm and relax even with the weight of both the world and technically the universe on his shoulders.

That was  _before_  he had assigned himself to Rachel. And it was after the struggle between them, the constant need for both miscommunication and conflicting personalities that had put both on edge before they finally reached a truce. This year, it was like something had snapped together, like puzzle pieces purposefully rearranging themselves so that they  _could_ fit and the dance of struggle ended.

Chad wanted his private time to be...private, but nowadays he had found Rachel to be very pleasant company when it counted. While he relaxed under expensive IKEA furniture, Rachel would always be poised somewhere close by, quietly typing away at her homework with a responsible air few students could proudly claim they had.

He had to admit though that she could be quite the distraction even when she didn't mean to. Whenever the constant typing had paused for more than a minute, Chad would immediately become alert and wondering what had caused her to stop before settling in again. It was maddening, but it was worth the company.

This time, it was Maurice that wanted to invade Chad's time, his schedule most likely open now that Cree was in college and unable to match schedules outside of their job working with Father. So Chad somehow ended up being Nigel's replacement for this ragtag bunch of former operatives even if most of them didn't remember each other.

Despite the fact that she was a teen operative, Abby had refused to let her friendship with Sector V go after decommissioning. She had managed to secure all three of them despite the loss of memories, determined to forge new friendships anyways.

Maurice helped her out by dubbing this maddening weekend get-together as 'movie night', forcing Chad to endure living proof that Nigel had always been rich with people who cared about him, who had remained loyal to him until the end.

"You look like you'd rather jump off a cliff," Rachel grinned, blinking up at him. They were situated on Maurice's couch in what he called the 'man-cave', with the exception that it was just a poorly furnished basement.

He paused, blowing a bit of his bangs out of his vision. "Know of any potential cliffs around the block?"

"Funny." She nudged herself close to his side which he secretly appreciated. The familiarity of her presence seemed to calm his frazzled nerves of being around 4/5ths of the former legendary Sector V. Trying not to look like an uncomfortable twelve year old, he eased an arm behind her which only encouraged more space that needed to be diminished.

Wallabee Beetles looked up at them from his 'rebelling' place on the floor, his expression revolted. "Ugh mate. You really have to do that kind of stuff?"

Chad decided that Wally was as much of an idiot now than when he was an operative. "Problem?" He quirked an eyebrow at the younger boy, his tone smooth as he pulled Rachel even closer. She palmed her face in response to such a juvenile tactic. "What's wrong, niner? Not cool enough to get yourself a girlfriend?"

"HEY!"

"Wally! Why are you sitting on the floor? There's no rug there!" Kuki, reaching a growth spurt faster than most girls her age, reappeared with a giant vat of popcorn; Abby was close behind with drinks. She giggled at the two on the couch. "Ooh! Any room for me?"

"Knock yourself out," Chad humored her, offering his other arm. Wally began to purple when the Japanese teen happily plopped herself next to Chad's other side.

"HEY!" Wally exclaimed again, this time scrambling up to sit quickly at Kuki's side before it was taken too. He glared daggers at Chad, who's returning expression was of smug amusement. Abby shook her head and took a seat on the second couch, handing the drinks to Maurice.

"Much obliged." The whole idea of movie night was supposed to be a small gathering, having anticipated that Abby wanted to bring the rest of Sector V with her. He understood her attempts to forge the bonds again. He had wanted to do the same with his own team once upon a time and bitterly resented not trying until it was too late, wondering if perhaps Chad felt the same.

Chad was busy badgering Wally, playing up his flirt persona and complimenting Kuki whenever he got the chance. Everyone but Wally could tell that he was getting suckered into an irrational rage. Chad never really bonded with his sector, or  _sectors._  Rapidly becoming a very affluent and capable operative, Numbuh 100 had him jump from team to team, his malleable skills from combat to espionage would only hurt the sectors he left behind until he settled solo on Moonbase. Because of that he never had an official treehouse that he belonged to before becoming Supreme Leader. Maurice supposed that Moonbase became officially his home a bit a distant one.

The only person missing was Hoagie who was in charge of getting the movies. They tried to keep themselves occupied with chit-chat until they eventually gave up and just let Kuki do all the talking, the girl more than happy to carry on a conversation without input from anyone at all.

"So I saw this cuuute little blouse outside of the new store next to JC Pennies... well, not to the right of it, that's where Pac Sun is but to it's left, y'know? Or maybe you don't! Okay, so you know that cellphone vendor thing right next to-"

Eyes fading, Chad rolled his head until his cheek hit golden hair. "Kill me." Rachel snickered into her sleeve.

Eventually, Hoagie did arrive the movies, just happy to be a part of the group. He had been afraid of being banished to the nerd clique before Abby got a hold of him. Why she decided to be his friend was beyond his comprehension, but he was determined to make her decision worth it.

"I've got all sorts of movies!" Hoagie said happily, showing them a pillowcase full of DVDs. "I've got everything from scifi to HORROR movies!" He made a spectacle about that causing Kuki to squeak with fear. Wally, however, was absolutely excited about the prospect.

"OI! Let's watch a super awesome horror movie where the good guys kick some major butt!" The Aussie shouted, pumping his fist in the air. But soon, everyone had their own preference for movies. While Hoagie and Wally shared the same sentiment about monster hunting and chainsaws, Kuki whined for a romance, not caring what genre it was except for said horror flicks. Abby didn't care when they offered her the question, citing that so long as it was interesting it didn't matter. That only caused more of a squabble.

Maurice, much to Chad's surprise, wanted an inspirational sports flick. Or a comedy. Bonus points for both. Chad kept his silence, not exactly caring what he watched because he usually didn't bother paying attention. His mind was always on the back burner, plotting and drawing up mission reports. That was all that mattered.

Rachel nudged for his attention. "I like scifi." Her voice was quiet as if her voice didn't matter. He wasn't surprised by her admission seeing as he remembered the Time Space Continuum nonsense pin he snatched off of her on her first day of high school.

"I know you do." He said just as quietly, not really sure why she was voicing it aloud. That is, until she shrugged and stared at the TV screen. She never really did much for her own personal enjoyment. Everything she had done was for the benefit of others. But things like saying that she preferred to watch a certain movie seemed to be extremely hard for her.

It was easy for her to speak for others, but difficult to speak for herself.

"I like scifi," He said loudly, causing everyone to pause. Those who actually knew him hadn't expected Chad to have an interest...in well anything that wasn't considered on the clock and on the job. Rachel stared up at him, brown eyes wide in confusion, but Chad's expression betrayed nothing but nonchalance.

Eventually Abby had to step in, deciding that whatever Hoagie managed to pull out of the pillowcase was what they were going to watch. Wally started to cross everything and mutter 'monster movie' under his breath while Kuki bounced in her seat, asking Mr. Bag to let all her wishes come true.

Hoagie pulled out a box with a gruesome looking cover on it. "The Swamp Monster's Deadly Vacation!" Wally whooped in triumph and Kuki's expression became pinched. "Ew!" When Hoagie opened the box, however, it was empty.

" _Tommy,"_  He dramatically muttered, tossing the box aside and starting to pull each one and finding no DVD's inside. His little brother must have grabbed all of his DVDs, used them, and never put it back. Desperate for something to be there, there was only one box with a DVD in it. It caused everyone except for Kuki to groan. "Eh heh...I guess I'll I've got is The Notebook."

"YAY!" Kuki squealed, bouncing happily as she waved her arms in the air. "THANK YOU MR. BAG!"

"Why do you even  _have_  that in the first place?" Chad raised an eyebrow at Hoagie, his expression borderline scandalized.

Hoagie chuckled nervously. "It's my mom's! Honestly!"

"Suuuurrreeee," Abby snickered over Wally's over-exaggerated groan. "Hey Maurice, pass the popcorn will ya? We're goin' to need it."

* * *

Going in and out of consciousness, Chad had nodded off during the second half which was a better feat than Rachel. She was so disinterested she ended up playing some sort of game on her phone (which he spent a full ten minutes watching), until she realized that he  _was_  watching, lost a level due to nervousness; and finally pocketed it and scowling before returning the movie. If  _he_  had to enjoy the movie, so should  _she._

The rest fared pretty well. Abby's eyelids were dangerously close to shutting closed for good, forcing her to munch on candy to perk herself up. Maurice gave up pretty easily strange enough, now in a deep conversation with his phone as he texted fervently every so often. Chad surmised that he was probably talking to Cree or someone from TND headquarters.

Kuki was the most interested, leaning forward as she drank in the dialogue and scenes, her dark eyes shining whenever a touchy scene showed up. Hoagie pretended to be bored, but it was pretty obvious that he was enjoying the movie and Wally? He was the most surprising. While he was obviously trying to make a scene of being completely disgusted with the film, he was watching with similar intent as Kuki. Softy.

Unable to use her phone, Rachel attempted to get more comfortable at least, sliding down until she got into a very relaxing position curled into the older boy's side.

Chad lightly stiffened when he felt small fingers grasp his shirt for leverage. With only one thing left to do, his arm fell off the top of the couch and was lazily draped across her shoulders, which only seemed to encourage her to snuggle closer.

"Oh no!" Kuki exclaimed, beginning to sniffle. "No! Don't do that!" She began to openly cry at the screen, prompting the rest of them to pay attention. It wasn't long before Wally joined the protesting, mocking the mother on-screen. "Stupid adults! Always getting in our business!"

At that moment Maurice, Chad, and Abby traded looks before settling in again. He could make a distant informant to the TND, possibly. Or, what Chad liked to affectionately call: meat shield. As if reading his thoughts, Abby glared at him and returned to the movie.

Wondering when the movie will ever end, Chad felt Rachel's head against his chest begin to nod off at random intervals until eventually, she decided that he made the perfect heating blanket and nodded off entirely. He felt her steady warm breath through the cotton of his shirt.

Seeing as watching her was more entertaining than watching this lovesick movie, his fingers greedily tangled into her hair, light enough that she probably couldn't feel it.

The male love interest began to talk in earnest which was enough to capture Chad's attention again.

" _I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: I've loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough."_

Chad's reaction was passionless, his eyes dismissing the humble man in the movie. Greatness came to those who inspired to do great things. That was his mantra instilled in him since the day he was born. Since when has 'loving' someone yield something greater than being a legend?

A slight shift to his left and he looked down to see Rachel blearily staring up at him, her expression open. Unwilling to look away and be the better man they continued this quiet staring contest, ignoring when Kuki jumped off the couch to whoop for joy.

Her mouth parted a bit, as if she wanted to say something to him, but then she stopped and unconsciously licked her bottom chapped lip. He paid far too much attention to that.

She didn't mean to bother him. In fact, she was quite happy curled to his side and glad that he withheld any quip that would have probably made things a lot more awkward than it already was. But waking up to see such a conflicted expression on his face while watching the movie made her wish that he'd open up to her. She wanted to know what was dragging him down during these moments.

Flinching when he caught her staring, she focused her gaze accordingly, hoping that it was enough to tell him that she wouldn't laugh with whatever he wanted to tell her. On a normal day she would have been stunned when his head suddenly dipped, feeling his warm breath against her cheek.

She didn't move away, or push him aside, probably either too stunned or too caught up in the moment for rhyme and reason to kick in. All the thoughts that usually bounced around in his head was silent for once.

There was only one thing on his mind and it wasn't the usual question of whether the KND would fall to rebellion or when he would be finally called to ascend to the GKND. It was simply wondering if her lips were as soft as they looked.

And he would have gotten his answer if Wally didn't freak out, startling everyone as a shower of popcorn cascaded all over the place. Rachel covered her face with her hand and Chad glowered at the younger boy. "What the hell, Beetles?!"

"Language." Rachel muttered meekly into her palm.

And, because fate really did despise Chad Dickson, his cell began to ring, the GKND symbol beeping on his screen.

"No phones on during the movie!" Kuki chastised at him, wagging a finger to seal the deal. Sneering at the Japanese girl, he eased himself out of the couch; Rachel had since reluctantly detached herself from him and found a place against the arm.

Seething at the unfortunate timing, Chad was pretty damn sure Infinity had a way of calling at the exact wrong moment. He probably had some kind of hi-tech surveillance equipment watching his every move right now.

He walked up the stairs and found himself in the kitchen, immediately calling Infinity back. While it rang, he checked out the window for said hi-tech equipment, his expression deeply suspicious.

Infinity's inflection seemed amused when he answered. "Did I interrupt anything, Numbuh 274?"

Chad held back an insult, his first words clipped and professional. "Orders?"

"I would rather you keep this a secret from Numbuh 9." That got Chad's undivided attention. "The Moonbase is under lock down. The splinter cell has incited a riot outside of the Command Deck."

 


	17. Year Three - Insurrection I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once a haven now torn asunder, things take a turn for the worse. Part one of two.

**Year Three**  – Insurrection I

Stunned by Infinity's admission, Chad walked out of the house, knowing that he may have to leave Rachel stranded after the movie. Maurice could always take her home. This took precedence over anything. Numbuh 362 would have agreed with him.

She would not have liked to hear that insurgents were tearing her Moonbase apart.

_Our Moonbase_ , he corrected in his head as Infinity rattled on about a temporal site close by to launch himself to the moon. Despite everything he had done, it was for the benefit of kids around the world...and possibly throughout the galaxy.

"The attack was implemented an hour ago," Infinity's voice faded in and out. Chad surmised that his superior was using a very secure connection. It usually made it hard for the contact to remain clear because of it. "Our satellite managed to intercept and de-scramble the distress beacon to Earth. There is a great possibility that there was a struggle to send it out before all communications on the moon went dark."

Chad nodded, glad that the new generation had  _some_  semblance of protocol from what he had heard through reports. Despite the civil war that seemed to be going on, a good few loyal operatives still remained.

Finding the hi-tech transport pod in an alleyway, he immediately got in. "Orders?"

"Go to Moonbase. Do not intervene. They would not take lightly to a seventeen year old appearing on their deck, friendly or no. Make your way to the Command Deck and attempt to seek and capture insurgents without detection. You will find out why when you get there."

Infinity was being obtuse. Chad didn't like obtuse. Not one bit. But he didn't question the orders and climbed into the pod while Infinity uploaded the new blueprints for the current modified Moonbase.

The pod turned invisible before launching, the only evidence of it being there was a large black burn mark on the pavement. As the pod broke the stratosphere, Chad began putting to memory every pipe work and new sub-decks that were added to the base after his time as an operative. They had closed down the easy route to the Command Deck according to the report and barricaded almost every entrance except for the sub-decks that led to the hamster runway tubes and air vents.

He wouldn't be able to fit around the runway tubes, but the air vents were his best bet. That was the only way to get to the service corridors. Landing on the deck designated for scrambling the fighter jets, Chad snapped on his Utility Watch and pressed on the futuristic metal face to activate Stealth Mode.

It disguised him as a nine year old operative, but the technology was buggy at best. He had a few minutes before the disguise fizzled away, but that was enough time for him to get to the air vents.

He was the best after all.

* * *

Sonya fell back onto her throne, extremely nervous. "Status report, Numbuh 84." She could always count on Lee, who drew protectively by her side, ever the stoic even in the face of danger.

"We've blockaded everything, sir." He said calmly, which as usual, calmed her down in return. "Every other operative that didn't make it pass the quarantine checkpoint have immediately issued lock-down in the main levels. The Main Lab has reported, the Weapons Deck has reported, and the ER has just recently reported their lock-down successful."

That was way too little decks successfully locked. Right now, the only ones who were allowed through the checkpoint were operatives who had been checked as those with parents or guardians that they were officially close to. Everyone else were unfortunately too suspicious to be allowed through were orphans and notable parent haters as per Maurice's suggestion. Consequences were bound to be had for this, but it was necessary precaution. "What about the other decks?"

Lee continued. "We've lost contact with the Aviation Deck, but one of our operatives there have been checking in. They're scattered at the moment the last we heard from them. Intelligence's deck are still open, but they've assured that none that are part of the splinter cell have tried to get past their defenses. Their deck's security locks will take time for the cell to crack open so we think they've just abandoned it for easier decks."

Sonya nodded, glad that at least KND Intelligence was secure. The Archives laid deeper into that deck and it would be disastrous if anyone from the cell have managed to get in and find valuable encrypted files. Especially the Book of KND. "Then...what's their plan if they manage to get onto the Command Deck?"

"They won't." Numbuh 84 said confidently. They'd have to get through him to get to Sonya and they'd severely regret ever angering him. "But we don't know what they want. The video feed so far is troubling."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Troubling?" Lee nodded at the nearest operative to put the feed on screen. Sonya watched with a concerned air as operatives were running left and right on the screen, obviously scared about something. It's when one of the operatives was suddenly hit on the corner of the screen did her eyes widen in horror.

"What...what is that?!" She covered her mouth. Something bright and small caught the operative in the back, causing the operative to fall forward and contort in pain. After a moment, the operative suddenly got up and eerily stared at the screen before calmly walking in the other direction.

No one had any explanation for it. The Command Deck was deathly silent as the feed replayed itself. Sonya gripped her throne's armrests hard, shaking in both fear and anger. They were doing something  _horrible_  to her operatives!

"Turn on the comm!" She ordered her communications officer with a renewed sense of anger. "I want all decks to hear this. And Numbuh 84, have we received any communication back for backup from Earth?"

"Not yet, sir." Lee said, straightening up as the comm officer scrambled for a clear line. "Numbuh 452 has been sending distress beacons every few minutes, but we think the cell has jammed our outbound comms."

Sonya grimly nodded. "Well keep at it! Numbuh 339!"

"Hailing frequencies are open, sir! Standby for announcement!" Her communications officer answered loudly.

* * *

This was really difficult.

Chad squeezed into the ninth ventilation shaft, mentally swearing that it was getting more and more narrow the further he went. While it was very roomy for the average KND operative, Chad was having a hard time maneuvering through them, forgetting to compensate the fact that he was a few months away from being an adult and his wide shoulders and elongated body wouldn't as naturally fit around like it used to when he was a child.

Glad to end up outside the barricade, he passed by a vent and stopped, gauging at the number of renegade operatives trying to bust through the semi-impenetrable wall that was currently barricading entrance into the Command Deck. His eyes widened not at how large the group was, but what was currently on deck.

Occasionally, strange gold lines would flicker across the skin of their insurgents, the paths reminding him of circuit boards. Instead of the traditional riots where people would toss things and cause a ruckus, they were unnaturally quiet, working hard to open the barricade.

Now he understood what Infinity meant about capturing the insurgents. They almost looked like...GKND agents. At least after the ascension. But none of these were authorized.

Something must have happened.

He continued on until he found his destination: a utilities room just outside the barricade. Bracing his work boots against the vent, he kicked it once, twice, and three times before it popped open quietly. Chad climbed out onto the floor with the grace of a cat.

Retreating to the back of the room, he pulled down a mop which opened up a hi-tech comm panel, a construct that was secret only to TND operatives that needed a way onto the base without detection. Why a mop? Because kids hated cleaning. It was downright ingenious, but also downright ridiculous.

Punching in the access code, he worked on the panel and attempted to override whatever jamming signal the splinter cell put up. He wasn't the most technological savvy person on the planet, but he was pretty sure he can override something as pathetic as a half-done jamming signal.

" _ATTENTION KIDS NEXT DOOR!"_  Chad looked up from his typing, hearing what was probably the Supreme Leader using the intercom systems outside of the room.  _"THIS IS YOUR SUPREME LEADER! WE ARE ENTERING INTO SOOPER OMEGA LOCK-DOWN AUTOMATIC RECON 4! I WANT EVERY DECK SECURED FROM THESE TRAITORS. YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES."_

Chad widened his eyes at her statement. Was she planning on purging the entire base? He wasted no time releasing whatever distress beacon from Global Command back to Earth. Hopefully Infinity had sent the beacon to the TND by now.

Another voice suddenly cut in and had gotten Chad's immediate attention. It was low, mechanical, and downright  _threatening. "Do you hear the sound of your leader? She will purge this station and everyone who doesn't lick at the boots of our elders with it. Is that right? Is that fair?"_  Chad's eyes narrowed at the voice. _"How far have we fallen? We fight adults, but only the candy-snatchers and freaks of nature. But what about the rest of them? The politicians who force extra hours in our schooling? The doctors who stick us with needles? The parents who ground us for no reason? We are returning the Kids Next Door to its purest roots. Join us. Join The Children. Join us and you will never grow old. You will be a child forever. May you never age. May the aged cease."_

The Children. That was the name of the splinter cell. He put that to memory and returned to his tinkering.

A mechanical female voice finally filtered through the system.  _"Activating Sooper Omega Lock-down_ _Automatic Recon 4. T-Minus 8.42 minutes until purge."_

He activated the secret service entrance using the panel and entered, knowing he had little time to capture as many insurgents as he could before the timer ran out. He could already hear permanent walls shutting down core decks, keeping the operatives safely within from the purge.

The Command Deck was obviously the first to be successfully locked down, so he was barred entrance. Shaking his head, he proceeded to the hangar bay where the purge would end up putting everyone outside the barricades into. Numbuh 83 would maybe manage to get rid of a good number of the insurgents but not all of them.

What probably mattered to her was that the riots would end and KND Intelligence can get to the bottom of this without misinformation. He didn't blame her decision one bit, more disappointed that she didn't do it sooner.

The service door to the hangar jammed thanks to the purge system cutting off power to non-essential decks, so he resorted to kicking it open. A loud bang echoed the quiet deck as he quickly reached the giant ship and aimed his Utility Watch at the cockpit.

This was easier than he expected. Moonbase was practically presenting the insurgents to him on a silver platter. Wirelessly changing the coordinates on the ship from Earth to GKND's Stratobase, he heard the familiar click of a weapon to his left.

"Don't move, teenager!"

Turning off the watch, he slowly turned anyway to the noise, finding a random operative aiming the GLOMP at him. Or what he thought was the GLOMP. It looked much more modified than how he remembered it. It didn't seem the operative recognized him but he expected that. Too much time had passed for kids her age to remember a boy who betrayed the KND almost four years ago.

_Activating Sooper Omega Lock-down Automatic Recon 4. T-Minus 6.58 minutes until purge._

"Why aren't you in the barricades?" Chad's question seemed to cause the operative to gape, not expecting a teen to care about her being purged.

She shook away her puzzlement and re-aimed her weapon. "I got lost! I'm new!"

"Ah." While she sputtered over his question, Chad pulled out a couple of marbles behind his back. "Well you have better things to do than deal with me. Like the splinter cell."

"How do you know about the splinter cell?!" She demanded, her aim becoming shaky at the computer's next alert. It was getting close to the purge.

And then the main hangar door exploded open.

* * *

Kuki wanted to watch The Notebook again and Rachel groaned alongside Abby and Maurice. Interestingly, neither Wally nor Hoagie seemed against the idea though it was obvious that Wally was overcompensating his hate for the movie by pretending to complain about it.

When Maurice disappeared a few minutes later to check for Chad, Rachel's phone began to chime, signaling a text message. Her brow furrowed at the extremely short text Chad had left her.

_Left early._

"'Left early'? That's pretty vague," Rachel muttered, snapping her cellphone shut. She turned to Abby. "You're close to Maurice, Abigail. Does he tell you about Chad's other job?"

Abby feigned confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Chad left again. I think it's his other job. He doesn't talk about it much." Whenever she asked, Chad would always shrug and make some sort of bull excuse like he was a pizza delivery guy or he worked community service. Chad probably thought she was born yesterday or something.

Coolly putting (Rachel raised an eyebrow at that. Who wears sunglasses inside?) sunglasses back over her eyes, Abby answered just as cryptically as Chad. "Abigail wouldn't be bothered too much about it, Rach. He's a teenage boy. He's probably meeting with one of his girlfriends or something." She instantly regretted saying that because the blond girl's expression darkened. "Or it's just an embarrassing part-time job! That's what Abigail  _really_  thinks! He probably don't want you to find out he cleans out mackerels or something."

Rachel grimaced at the image and shook her head. She supposed it wasn't her business. "Right. Whatever." Everyone jumped when they heard the sound of the basement door slam open and the urgent footsteps that followed.

Running down, Maurice looked directly at Abby, his features steely. "We've got a problem, Abigail."

"Oh no! Are we out of popcorn?!" Kuki gaped in horror.

* * *

_Activating Sooper Omega Lock-down Automated Recon 4. T-Minus 5.23 minutes until purge._

"Are all decks reporting in?" Sonya asked aloud, uncaring who answers so long as she got one.

Lee nodded. "80% of all essential decks have reported in so far. The other 20% claim that there are stragglers trying to reach the barricades. They will keep it open until the one minute mark."

Sonya started biting her nails. "That's really cutting it close."

"They weren't exactly happy that you ordered the Sooper Omega Lock-down Recon 4, sir," Her helm officer piped in. But Sonya shook her head. "We have no choice. I need to put my foot down on this. At least this way Moonbase is safe and these insurgents are trapped until we can successfully decommission them."

The SOLAR-4 was a simple, but dangerous process. Once every safe deck had been under complete lock-down, the Moonbase would open all of it's doors and release a super suction of air, forcing everything not nailed down to the floor flying in a hurricane of air until it reached the hangar where a giant space craft was waiting. Once everything was expelled into the ship, it would automatically launch into space until it reached one of KND's prison stations. It was a sure-fire way of sucking out scattered intruders on a massive scale.

The problem was they would lose a great amount of supplies in the process. And anyone who was unable to reach the safe decks. But this was an emergency and there was no other alternative.

Sonya wished that she never had taken the job.

* * *

Splinter cell agents rushed into the hangar and Chad wasted no time. He grabbed the female operative. "Come with me!" Paling at the insurgents, it was obvious that she'd have a better chance following a teenager than dealing with renegade operatives with creepy glowing skin. They immediately ran for the service entrance.

Pretty sure than since no one but the TND knew the meandering maze of the service tunnels, Moonbase wouldn't take it into account and this could be the only safe way of escaping the purge. Regretting breaking the door for only a moment, the next service door was further down the path.

"Go ahead of me," He told her and she wasted no time taking orders from him as she tried to catch up with his long legs and pass him. Maurice was going to kill him for showing an operative the service pathway. That, or kill him for not informing him about the riot happening.

Their escape narrow enough to filter the insurgents chasing after them, he tossed smoke marbles at them, hoping it'll give him enough time to ignite the circuitry to get the next door shut. Unfortunately, the operative didn't pass him quick enough and was engulfed in the smoke. She coughed and collapsed from the knock out properties of it.

"Stupid..." Chad growled, pulling himself away from the circuit panel to grab the girl. Heaving her up, something quick and fast emerged from the smoke. It looked like tiny green pinpoints of light. It was heading towards them in a zigzag of energy.

Instinctively, he covered the girl from the attack, letting out a yelp when he felt something hit him hard in the back of his neck, the heat unbearable. He reached for his neck, fingers scratching at it in an instinctive attempt to pull it out. He could feel it  _seeping into his skin_. Unable to take the heat, he let out another yowl of pain.

He had never felt such pain before. Fire was rushing up his neck and into his head, everything lighting up and pounding into a fierce migraine. Feeling like his head was going to split open, he pressed his hands tight against the sides of his temple and tried not to scream again. He was undercover. He needed to get out. He needed to be  _quiet._

The purge. That was the constant thing on his mind. If he didn't close the door behind them, they were going to be sucked with the other insurgents. Despite the pain exploding behind his eyes, he blindly reached for the girl and attempted to drag her behind the powered down door, the process unbelievably hard now that his limbs felt like jelly.

_Get out. The purge. Close door._ He focused his thoughts on this.  _Survive. Quickly. Reroute power._ Too many things to do. He just wanted the pain to end at any cost. Even  _die._

He managed to focus long enough finish dragging her over the safe corridor and return to the panel, forcing the cover open like a mad man and began tearing out wires. Footsteps were fading in retreat from the smoke, but he needed to act fast.

_Red wire to yellow. No time for twisting the wires. Hurry. Do not fail._

His head was pounding even harder. He was forced to pause and force down a scream as the palm of his hand pushed hard on his forehead. What did they...what did they do to him?!

And now his spine felt like it was on fire. He took a step back and gripped the back of his neck, mouth open in a silent scream.  _Don't scream. Focus._  Instead a sound issued out of his throat was almost inhuman, a cross between a growl and low whine echoed the walls. He resisted the urge to slam his head against the wall and end it all.

His whole body was literally  _on fire_.

_Activating Sooper Omega Lock-down Automatic Recon 4. T-Minus 2.14 minutes until purge._

He reached for the panel again, circumventing the wires to reach the emergency power line. Letting out a pained breath as the last of the wires were connected, his legs began to shake until he finally collapsed on the ground. Undeterred, he defied his aching body to crawl to the door button, his ears now pounding to the point where he could hear nothing but a light ring.

When he reached up, he saw that his hand was breaking into a cold sweat. He tried to reach for the button, managing to graze the panel before he suddenly collapsed onto the floor. His body had instinctively shut down from the acute pain.

_Activating Sooper Omega Lock-down Automatic Recon 4. T-Minus 1.02 minutes until purge._


	18. Year Three - Insurrection II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight to escape begins. But the real battle is fought within. Part two of two.

**Year Three**  - Insurrection II

Chad had woken up from a light nap, his samurai helmet slightly askew. Groaning, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and righted his helmet just in time for an operative to run up to the throne carrying a stack of papers.

"Sir! Numbuh 86 has arrived with the escaped operative and is waiting for you on Deck Bravo!" The operative paused, slowly blinking at her Supreme Leader's confused state. "Sir?"

Shaking his head, he hopped off his throne, fixing his bracers. "At ease, operative. Just...a bad dream." Or was it? He wasn't sure. The images had been muddled up and incoherent, but he had better things to do than interpret nonsense dreams. He had a job that needed his attention. He was the Supreme Leader.

Numbuh 274 made his way down to Bravo Deck, pausing sometimes when someone called for him to sign off or something or complain about the lack of care regarding Moonbase scientists' experiments. He was cordial and patient, something these kids needed, though his patience did have an end. Putting his foot down on some things proved he was in control and capable. That garnered respect.

He bypassed the Command Deck exterior and found himself glancing at the utility closet, his brow furrowing in confusion. Why was he looking at some random custodial door? Shaking his head, he continued on until he reached one of Bravo's interrogation rooms; finding two Decommissioning Squad members saluting him before letting him enter.

Numbuh 86 was waiting in the dimly lit room, feeling much more smug than usual. Chad recalled the Head of Decommissioning as quite the man-hater so he had to be cautious with his words. When it came to the Supreme Leader, however, her tone was a tad more respectful, if not self-serving.

"Voila! One fugitive all wrapped up to go!" She toted proudly, tossing a tied up body near his feet. "And I want it to go on the record that all credit for this capture goes directly to _me_!" He looked down at the captured operative and then back at 86, trying to hold his tongue.

Numbuh 86 continued to sing praises for her capture, gloating about pleasing the higher chain of command. "Looks like Numbuh 362 is gonna give me a big promotion!" Imperceptibly shaking his head at her antics, he looked back down at the prisoner.

Numbuh 206 seemed much...smaller than what he saw on the operative's profile. Almost feminine in the way he curled himself in the binds. Suspicion creeping up his back, he nodded at security behind him to untie Numbuh 206 and approached Numbuh 86.

 _Good work, w_ as on the tip of his tongue until the prisoner was successfully untied. His eyes widened when the prisoner turned around, a shock of blond hair and a stern expression stopped his breath for a second. No, not stern. She was absolutely furious, an unbidden fire in her brown eyes.

"Um...Numbuh 86?" He tried to get the red head's attention but she kept on talking, kept on bragging about how she managed to subdue the operative all on her own. Eventually, she heeded his hesitance when he tapped her on the shoulder, turning and paling significantly at the blond operative.

"...N-numbuh 362?! Uh...sir...! I mean 'ma'am' ah!"

"You idiot!" The blond spitfire began, whirling dangerously on Numbuh 86. Chad took a cautious step back, knowing not to cross an operative on the rampage. "I was  _THIS_  close to getting the Delightful Children's plans! And you attack me from out of nowhere! Who's side are you on anyways?! I'm ashamed to call you a girl! I never thought a girl would be so stupid!" Numbuh 86 began to cower at her words. "You, by far, are the most idiotic person I have ever met!"

Sighing, he realized that 86's failure meant they've still got an escaped teenage operative on the loose. Letting the KND Intelligence operative tear 86 a new one, he proceeded to walk out and file the necessary paperwork that 86 completely fudged up on.

"And you! Stay right there, Chad Dickson!" No one under his command had ever talked to him like this before. Stunned, he turned back around, staring at a very irate Numbuh 362.

"You're just going to walk away and give up, is that it?" She growled, stepping forward. Everyone else seemed to just blend away into the dimly lit room until it was just the two of them. "On your feet, soldier! That's an order!"

Unbelieving of these words, Chad took a step back. "You...I am your superior officer! Stand down, operative!"

She glared at him. "No.  _I_ am your superior officer." And then her appearance changed. What was a black jumpsuit turned into an orange and blue number with a menacing samurai helmet, indicating Supreme Leader rank. "You take orders from me! It's your job to protect me and you're doing a lousy way of going about it!"

"Protect you?" He uttered in disbelief, taking a step back. She wasted no time to equalize the distance by stepping forward. "What are you talking about?"

"You. Are. Failing. Your. Mission. Numbuh. 274." Numbuh 362 said lowly, hauntingly. "You are  _failing_."

Ridiculous. "I never fail." He growled back, sick of this girl...sick of  _Rachel_  telling him otherwise. "Do you hear me, Rachel?  _I. Never. Fail_." That seemed to be the correct answer, for she smiled softly at him now.

"Then I suggest you wake up!" She beamed a brilliant smile and then...

* * *

_Activating Sooper Omega Lock-down Automatic Recon 4. T-Minus 30 seconds until purge._

Chad was startled awake with a gasp, his features broken into a cold sweat. The exploding pain behind his eyes had dulled enough for him to get a gander of his surroundings, the whole corridor lit up with a flashing red of the alert. His cellphone was vibrating in his pocket, indicating a message.

"S-speaker." He commanded, his teeth chattering. It might be from Infinity.

" _Chad,"_  Rachel's recorded voice was muffled from the pocket. He could hear her tone turning sheepish. " _I don't know what you're doing, but be back soon, okay? Maurice is gone and...I think I need a ride home. Sorry about that."_ Then the line clicked dead.

Shaking, he used one of the skeleton pipes of the service corridor to haul himself up, his limbs still feeling like jelly. The memories came back like fragments. Purge. Reroute power. Protect stupid operative. Take Rachel home. Shut door.

_Shut door._

_Activating Sooper Omega Lock-down Automatic Recon 4 in 5. 4. 3..._

Chad punched the button hard, the door sliding close with a comforting swish and lock.

_Sooper Omega Lock-down Automatic Recon 4 has been activated. Have a nice day._

* * *

Maurice had found Chad unconscious beside an unknown operative in the service corridor with Abby bringing the rear. They were forced to keep to these corridors during the purge, not exactly wanting another incident to occur when Numbuh 83 was already having trouble reactivating all of the decks and dealing with the fallout.

He was angry. Very angry. Why didn't Chad tell him about Moonbase's lock-down before he ran off on his own? Was it Infinity's doing? His lips were pressed into a thin line when he checked the state of the blond. He flinched back when he checked Chad's sweaty pulse. It was erratic.

"Abigail. Get the medic." Nodding, the dark-skinned girl hopped over to the squad waiting nearby, issuing out orders. He wanted answers. He wanted to know why the video feed showed this cell, The Children, glowing so strangely. Did it have something to do with the GKND?

Masking his anger now with frustration, he was even more worried for Chad and his current state. Whatever happened to make him collapse like that, it wasn't pretty. Not at all.

While Chad was being looked into by the medic, Maurice had to stay on Moonbase and contact the Supreme Leader and request a detailed a report on what happened. This shouldn't have happened. He had thought that they still had time to defuse the situation by sending spies in their ranks.

What was troubling was that none had reported back in the last two weeks.

And it wasn't surprising that while Chad was recuperating in one of their carriers, Infinity appeared to ask for him back. Maurice didn't like it, but he was willing to use Chad as a bargaining chip to get answers. All suspicions led to Infinity and the GKND.

"I suppose you're holding most of the splinter cell hostage at your secret base?" Maurice glared.

Numbuh Infinity simply fixed his sunglasses. "I suppose you have my agent in your custody."

"I do." The teen was done messing around. "Apologies in advance if I start swearing like an actual adult, but you've got my agents mixed up in whatever you're doing. I want them back." Unlike the actual cell, his agents had parents and family that will question where they went.

Infinity bowed his head slowly. "I'm afraid that that is no longer on the table. They have already been initiated to the splinter cell. Once initiated, it becomes irreversible."

A cold shiver ran up Maurice's spine. "What's irreversible?! I want my agents, Infinity! I'm serious!"

"As am I. It is... most unfortunate." Clasping his hands behind his back, Infinity gave away nothing but pure professionalism. "But what has transpired is strictly the Galactic Kids Next Door's business. We cannot breach protocol even for the Director of the Teens Next Door."

"This...the Children splinter cell or whatever is KND business, Numbuh Infinity! They are our operatives first. This is Earth's business." Maurice was surprised when Infinity nodded in agreement.

"You are right, of course. But the parameters have changed. You have seen on the video feed Numbuh 83 has forwarded to you, yes? They have changed. They are human, but changed. And that is GKND business." Infinity paused, his demeanor grim. "Is Numbuh 274 still comatose?"

Maurice regarded him wearily, unable to comprehend what just happened. "Yeah. His vitals are skyrocketing. We can't...he might need a real adult doctor..."

"What he needs is to return to his base and seek out help there. We have a much more thorough idea of 274's condition." He expected Maurice to narrow his eyes at him with suspicion.

He continued, strongly. "He will not survive what the other children have. I can assure you. It was not designed to work on teenagers."

The Director of TND wanted to learn more, but Infinity had shut his mouth on the matter, obviously forcing Maurice's hand with the prospect of Chad losing his life. With a glower, he ordered the transport to Infinity's custody.

* * *

All he could see was an extremely blurry light and the smell of pure antiseptic. The voices seemed echoed and all he could do was get his mind sorted out before he could concentrate on...anything.

" _He is stable for now. I do regret this, but it had to be done."_

It sounded like he was inside a tunnel, recognizing Infinity's low voice. But he didn't understand. He could hardly move either. There was another voice that was even lower, more mechanical. Infinity's superiors possibly. But he couldn't discern what they were saying.

" _Understood. The modified S-Spore was...the experiment was mixed. It sped up the Ascension process, but in turn, much of the control group had lost control of their higher mental functions. We had thought we had the splinter cell under control. They had evolved and called themselves The Children. That is correct. Shock troops? I had thought you wanted more operatives like Numbuh 1."_

Chad groaned lightly, trying to turn his head to the direction of the sound. Infinity paused in his call, glanced at the operative on the slab, and returned to the call.

" _274 is coming to. Yes. He has been modified. We are running tests. It was a very high gamble. I do not think it will be wise to use KND operatives at this current juncture. The ranks have thinned since due to the outbreak. I would not advise it, no. If we continue, Earth's organization would be at a disadvantage by the time you have arrive. Yes. TND's current director is suspicious. I did not foresee him putting spies into the cell. It was most unfortunate. "_

He tried moving his hands, but they were bound by the wrist. Panic settling in, he started to struggle, prompting Infinity to finally pay attention to him and end the call. Moving around the table, he looked over the teen. "How are you feeling, Numbuh 274?"

His voice was ungodly hoarse and he felt like every molecule in his body was muffled by cotton balls. "Like shit." Infinity didn't seem offended by such language.

"I believe it." He walked around the table and pulled up Chad's holographic medical file. "You don't feel any pain at the moment, do you? Any further complications?"

Chad ignored the questions. "How long have I been out?"

"Three days."

"...three?" He began to fight against the binds again, causing the monitor connected to beep loudly from the distress. Patiently, Infinity pushed Chad down again. "Yes. Three. Normal people past the prepubescent stage would have succumbed and perished from the S-Spore, but not you. I had the atmost confidence that you would survive."

S-Spore? That green thing that the splinter cell had shot at them? Muted blue eyes widened in realization. The one that got him in the back of his neck. His skin crawled at the memory and the unbelievable pain. "...not the S-Seed?" The S-Seed was used to help the chosen operatives into the GKND to ascend and halt the aging process. Sometimes their fight would take them many light years to reach. By the time they usually get to the planet, years usually had passed so it was an essential body modification. That and it was one step closer to achieving a true world where only kids reigned.

"No. This one was modified. You are aware that we are losing the galactic war, yes? The High Command has asked us to open the potential pool of candidates. We...we do not have sufficient time to use the S-Seed." The effects were gradual, taking a year or more in advance depending on the operative. If they could push it to just a few months, it would make all the difference.

But the Children weren't following the GKND's orders. What were they doing taking on the KND then? "They weren't...normal." Chad finally found the words for what he saw. "Just one thing in mind. Only one goal. No method to it."

Infinity nodded. "It was an experiment gone wrong. I am taking responsibility for it. We had picked a few selected operatives years ago to test the S-Spore. And over time, we thought it was a success. Unfortunately, while the S-Spore managed to delay growth, it was rendering higher thought inoperable. They became savaged. They refused to listen to our orders and they broke their silence. With the scientific cache of S-Spores available to them, it was only a matter of time before they used them to harness an army."

To say he was livid was an understatement. "Why didn't you tell me?" Infinity was using their operatives for experimenting. Chad drew the line at that.

"You forget yourself, Numbuh 274. You are a potential recruit and informant. This mission was not for you to undertake." Infinity fixed his sunglasses. "What we must worry about now is your health. The S-Spore was not designed to work on teens or adults. To find you still alive is a scientific marvel."

"I'm not your guinea pig," Chad asserted, fighting his bonds again. "Get me out of this thing!"

Infinity shook his head. "In due course, Numbuh 274. We are not imprisoning you. You had been unstable. We didn't want you to move so much." Using his own Utility Watch, he unbounded Chad's wrists.

He tried to sit up until a wave of dizziness hit him hard and left him clutching the ends of the table tightly in support. His shoulders began to shake from the effort. It was like the time the Common Cold hit him with the Omega Virus all those years ago...only this was worse and he never felt so debilitated in his entire life.

"Continue to recuperate, Numbuh 274. Your missions have been kept on hold until further notice." Infinity said, tone almost pitifully kind. Chad hated it. "However, because you have infected yourself-"

"-I didn't INTEND to infect myself!" The teen snarled back. "I was...that stupid operative...!" He resigned himself to an seething silence, unable to finish. If time was turned back, he would have done it again. Complaining was useless.

Infinity merely stared at him. "At any case, so long as you remain close to the Source, the S-Spore should give you nothing more than the occasional headache. That is more than what we can say for the 'Children' as such they call themselves."

"And of the Children? What about them?"

They were in fact, successfully caged, awaiting further testing. Infinity kept this tidbit a secret from the irate ex-Supreme Leader at the very least. "They have been detained for the moment. Obviously. We will attempt to...take care of them." Chad narrowed his eyes at Infinity.

"Are you going to fix them?"

Infinity straightened his back. "That is the end goal. At any case, the reason we were able to induce you out of the coma was more than just your stubborn resolve to live." He held up something that looked reasonably familiar, though to any human who didn't experience the intricacies of the GKND, it would have been alien. It was in the shape of a tuning fork.

"Me'Mori Metal." It was a vital metal used to block ultrasonic transmissions. It's properties are however even more unique than being a signal scrambler. It 'ate' things. Energy, fire, anything that would be vital into destroying it. Once impregnated, the metal, and everything around it, became immune to future effects.

"We don't really carry this metal around as you know, but we do use it when the opportunity abounds. Me'Mori has been mined to nothing now." Infinity raised the fork in front of Chad's face and instantly, whatever residual pain was still bumping around his head had settled down. Chad tried to greedily reach for it.

"Like I said," Infinity pulled the fork away, half-annoyed. "We are in  _short_ supply. Hopefully, the sample kit we gave you in the beginning would be sufficient when you are unable to report to base." Chad grimaced, unable to tell Infinity that he had used his small quantity of Me'Mori metal for an entirely different project. "Right."

Nodding, Infinity lowered the table, allowing Chad to easily get off. "If you feel sufficient to recuperate home, you are free to go. But it is simply this: the S-Spore conversion is irreversible. And to be infected with it as almost an adult...it will constantly search for a state of mind that's no longer there. That is where the headaches will come in. I am sorry."

Chad dismissed his sympathy and proudly struggled to get on his feet. "It's nothing. I don't care. I'll survive."

"Your bravery is commendable. And one so few have." Infinity continued to stand in place as Chad slowly walked out, his expression darkening.

He didn't wish to send Numbuh 274 to be infected, but it was the only way of keeping him to the cause. Keeping him depending on them. At any cost.


	19. Year Three - Incubus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes a hero's love can lead to desperation and despair.

**Year Three** \- Incubus

It's been two weeks since she last saw Chad Dickson. Maurice hardly gave her any answers and if anything, he seemed both concerned and angry whenever she mentioned her bodyguard's whereabouts. And then, a week into this two week hiatus, Maurice seemed to disappear altogether as well.

"Well you know how it is. Honor students, athletes, seniors and all," Abby had told her one school morning, but even her expression seemed guarded, almost like she rehearsed in advance with whatever Rachel was trying to ask. "They've got lots of things to do. You know, look for colleges and stuff. Abigail wouldn't worry too much about it."

But she _did_  worry. Her texts largely went unanswered as the first week droned on and the only text response she received back from him was simply, ' _busy_ '.

Busy? With what? She searched for him in school but found no answers, even as she sent Fanny and Patton to investigate. Whatever had happened he wasn't attending school physically, but the teachers have strangely enough indicated that he was present in every single class so far. It was maddening. And she was very worried.

_I'm taking hours off of your pay._  She texted back, incensed by the thirteenth day. She was tired of begging and asking and calling and never receiving a response aside from the typical one word spiel. His response was longer this time. But its contents made her chest tighten.

_Do what you need to do._

Blinking back tears of frustration, she tossed her phone aside and did what she knew best to take care of her emotions: pour herself into her work. Homecoming, the car wash event, the junior field trip... all of these required her attention as Sophomore President.

It was hours later when a thunderstorm started rolling in and it put a damper on her mood. She liked her nights clear of clouds so she can look out at the stars. There was always something... nostalgic about it that she couldn't put her finger on. She would remember Chad watching her with amusement sometimes, teasing her about it.

" _If you wanted to join the stars so much, you should've done it when you had the chance."_  He had told her cryptically. She didn't understand his words. Still didn't.

Growling, she shook her head. Nope. Out of sight, out of mind. If Chad wanted to put the disappearing act on her, she wasn't going to whine and complain about it like his other one-thousand girlfriends. She wasn't his keeper and she had homework to finish.

Lightning lit up her window and she moved to close the panel before the rain came down. What if Chad was really sick or something? Or hurt? She paused, thinking hard before grimacing and letting out a frustrated moan. Fine. Just fine. Stupid Chad Dickson.

She picked up her discarded phone and dialed his home number.

* * *

The thunder was aggravating his headache.

Maurice was on the other line of the screen call. It was the only way he could contact Chad. The blond teen was still recuperating and had rarely come out of his room as a side effect of the S-Spore. This next round of headaches had prevented him from joining a search and rescue mission with the TND. But that was most likely not the reason Maurice sought him out.

"I don't trust Infinity, Chad."

"That's not my concern."

The dark-skinned teen shook his head at the statement. "I know you're in pain, Chad, but this is serious. You're blinded by loyalty to the GKND to see the big picture. They have my agents. They have KND operatives regardless of their actions. This should be investigated by our Intelligence. Not Infinity's."

Chad took another deep breath, trying to sustain the professionalism despite the pounding in his head. He had thought he could survive through it without Me'Mori. Survive without checking in constantly to the base. Every night he had gone to Infinity's aid and while there gave a constant report on everything before he was allowed relief. If he wasn't so distracted by the pain, he would've realized that maybe this was GKND's plan all along.

There's only so much you can do with an adult before they got wise enough to leave.

"It's classified. Sorry." His tone was anything but. Maurice regarded him carefully, calculatingly. Chad had never seen that expression directed at him before.

It said _potential enemy_.

"I thought we were in this together," Maurice finally said, his tone clipped. "I didn't expect the GKND of all people treating their own operatives like guinea pigs. I told Infinity that there would be consequences if he didn't discharge my agents in The Children's group. I  _warned_  him. Did you know one of them has an older brother that's a Teen Ninja? Well now he's complaining about where she is. Six agents, 274. Six agents missing. Six families worried. Do you understand? Do. You. Understand? Do you understand what I am going through?" Chad had turned away to nurse his forehead. Guilty for only a moment, Maurice began to slowly enunciate his words in response. "Chad. You have to listen. I'm facing an inquiry about this. Most of the TND aren't aware of the GKND. I can't just write this off as classified. You know that."

Growling in frustration, Chad turned back to the monitor. "I can't do anything. I can't. Sorry." This time, he meant it. Because this time, despite all the things Maurice had written off in the name of the GKND, this was one that the Director of the Teens Next Door couldn't forgive.

Maurice slowly closed his eyes and then reopened them, his expression closed. "I'm sorry too." The line clicked dead. And that was that. He had made a new enemy.

Chad sat back in his seat, the pain almost blinding. He tried popping in migraine pills but they did little to help. Medicine couldn't relieve an alien virus rampaging through his body, attacking everything it could find to plug itself in. Plug itself into a socket that had disappeared with age and was now wreaking havoc until it did.

This wasn't living. Not like this. For the first time, he bent forward, practically crumpling from the stress of it all. Maurice was mad at him, Infinity was using his debilitation to his advantage, his parents were disappointed in him, and Rachel was undoubtedly furious with him.

And now, his headache was throbbing into a fierce migraine, compelling him to go back to base, to lay down on the cold slab and be tested on over and over...

* * *

"He's turning down his football scholarship?" Rachel asked incredulously over the phone. "But why?"

"We're not too sure." Mrs. Dickson had answered the phone, her voice worried. And sad. "He hasn't come out of his room except for school. His father tried talking to him but Chad... well, he refuses to listen. He's only a few months away until he's eighteen and we don't want to baby him about it. But we were extremely disappointed. It's like he's not interested in college. Or a job. Did you know he quit his part-time jobs? Oh my goodness, did he quit security detail for your father? Is that why you're calling?"

Rachel shook her head, but her blood turned cold at the idea. He had always been a constant in her life for almost three years. Life without him seemed strange... and lonely. "No... but he hasn't been around. And I haven't told dad." No doubt that, despite her father liking Chad, he wouldn't appreciate that he wasn't doing his job. He'd fire him.

There was a pause. "I hope that he gets better. He's been awfully tired whenever I see him. Too much stress maybe?" His mother started to fret in her words. "Maybe we pushed him too hard. Ever since he was six we always... well, we just wanted him to have the best things, you know? Maybe that's it. Maybe he's finally snapped from it. I just..." Rachel didn't know what to say as Chad's mother started to break down. "Oh, it's my fault. I shouldn't have pushed him! What can I do now? He won't listen to me, he won't listen to his father and I just... I just feel so hopeless! I'm sorry. I'm sorry for... oh, you probably don't want to listen to this, I'm so sorry-"

"It's okay," Rachel consoled with a nervous smile. She couldn't see it, but her tone was very gentle. "I understand. My dad does it too. Lots of parents do that! It's okay. Maybe it's just stress and he needs to take it easy?"

This didn't sound good. Chad had always made sure to keep his parents happy despite the constant embarrassment they showered him with on a daily basis. The fact that he was practically giving up his future was just...not like him. Not at all. After talking with Chad's mom, she screwed up her courage and grabbed her jacket. Maybe he didn't want to see anybody, but she hardly cared.

He was in some kind of trouble. And she wanted to prove that she was capable of helping him.

* * *

"Son, let's talk about this." Chad grimaced, slightly turning from his position on the bed and stared at the door. His father was trying to talk some sense into him, but he just wasn't in the mood to play Model Son. He feigned sleep, hoping his silence would deter him from continuing.

And it did. Once he heard footsteps walking away, he got back up to pop more migraine pills before settling in. What did it matter about his future? He was going to Ascend and the pain will finally go away. In seven years.

In seven...

Chad dreamed of seven years. Seven years was a long time. He would be twenty-five by then. That's a full blown adult. Why would the GKND bother keeping him for that long if the whole endgame was to eradicate the disease of being an adult? He'd be an infiltrator for the rest of his life.

He would have this pain for seven more years. A frustrated growl escaped his throat and he gritted his teeth hard. Two weeks he's dealt with this pain and he's got seven years to put up with it?! Why did he have to suffer from this? Why couldn't he have things easy like Uno did? Why did he have to struggle to even get a glimpse of what he wanted when that brat managed to just get it without even realizing?!

It should've been him up in the stars away from here. He's sacrificed so much. Too much.

A tiny rock hit his window, startling him. Despite the migraine, he rolled onto the floor and remained there, searching under his bed for his weapon. Maurice wasn't  _that_ mad at him, was he? He trained his plasma rifle over the bed, aiming the red laser dot carefully at the glass. Whoever was coming in was going to get shot. Badly.

His eyes narrowed in puzzlement when a hooded figure gingerly climbed up, practically sticking desperately to the frame. Really Maurice? Was that the best that you could do? Send a newbie assassin for kicks? Knowing that his weapon was unnecessary, he tossed it aside and decided a good old ass kicking was the better alternative.

The assassin knocked on his window when he approached. "Hey! Let me in, please!" She said against the rain. He's never met a  _polite_  intruder before, but he supposed there was a first for everything. That is, until she raised her head so he could peek under that hood.

"McKenzie! What the hell are you doing here?!" He hissed, immediately throwing up his window and pulling her in. She could have broken her neck or worse, yell at him for it.

"Ugh, easy! I'm getting water all over your bed sheets!" She complained during his manhandling until he set her on the carpet. Grateful to be out of the rain, she tugged off her jacket and shivered. "You're an ass, you know that?" Rachel didn't bother with the small talk, whirling angrily at him.

Chad twitched unpleasantly. Rachel and swearing should never mix. "Language, McKenzie."

Words that she had rehearsed all over again were about to pour from her lips. Like how much he's worried her AND his parents! That was inexcusable worrying his parents like that. Or the fact that he's throwing away his scholarship or how people seemed to want her to believe that he no longer existed! The words didn't come once she took a good look at him.

He looked like hell. His hair was askew and his eyes were dim and blurred with what seemed to be a delayed reaction from excessive pain. Even his shoulders, once proud and straight had slumped slightly from the stress. She closed her mouth and tried not crumple at his state. "You didn't pick me up." Was all she could get out.

Chad looked away. "Sorry." He said he'd never let her down again. Easier said than done, he supposed.

"What's wrong with you?" She demanded softly, pained at seeing him in such a state. "Do you know how it feels just...waiting? Worried and waiting and when you look for answers you only get disappointment?"

In fact, he did. He mumbled another apology, but she didn't want to accept it. "I know you're not talking to anybody about your problems!" She continued. "Why can't you tell me what's wrong? I can help, I can!"

Yes. She can. Chad noted the flash of silver near her wrist. The bangle made of Me'Mori. He didn't want to use her. He didn't want to treat her like a source of relief. He had given her his sample cache in the beginning to _protect_  her. To keep her safe. A flash of pain started up again, bashing around his head like a sledgehammer to concrete.

"Hey, hey are you alright?" Rachel began to panic, watching him suddenly grab his head in pain. She reached for him. "Do you need aspirin or something?" She didn't even see the empty bottles of pain medication littering the floor near his desk and he was glad for it. He didn't need another earful of complaints.

Her hands were cold and wet from the rain but when her fingers reached for his hands did the close proximity of her bracelet began to soothe away the banging in his head. Pure relief. The dullness to his eyes began to sharpen though only this time it didn't have to happen on a cold table slab.

She stilled when he moved his hands to grasp her's, his thumb grazing the indentations of the Me'Mori bracelet. Instead of the cold feeling of the fork Infinity used, this one ignited everything, searing away the pain in a rush of blessed heat like wildfire rampaging through a dead forest for it to grow anew again. A soft moan of relief was released and she became deathly still.

This wasn't normal. She didn't understand what was going on with him. But he seemed to react positively to her touch so she didn't question when he leaned forward, seeking a solace she didn't realize she had on her person.

Fingers tangled around her bangle, he thought about asking her for it. He could go back to his duties without fear of this pain. He can fix everything that was wrecked. "Hey..." She muttered twisting her hands away. "That's mine." Unconsciously, he had tried to pull the bangle off. Frowning at him with a mixture of confusion and suspicion, she held the bangle close to her thinking he had gone bonkers.

The effects of the Me'Mori band hadn't faded, but he knew it wouldn't last long. Desperate, he moved closer. "Rachel..." he purred, his voice dark and inviting. He had used it multiple times to cinch in the most volatile of the Teen Ninjas. And, like the rest of them, he attempted to use the same tactic. "I'm in pain. Don't you want to take care of me?"

Rachel scrunched her shoulders up in defense, having mixed feelings about what was happening. A part of her was extremely suspicious, but another part was very much... flattered. He had never directed such a look at her before. And worse, he was appealing to her sense of compassion. "Of course I want to take care of you!" She leaned forward, worry etched on her features. "What can I do?"

He wanted to laugh. Or yell. She was so easy to manipulate that it pissed him off. Or was it because she trusted him so deeply now that he was bound to screw this up in the end. He didn't deserve someone like Rachel McKenzie. Only heroes like Nigel Uno deserved her.

And Chad Dickson was a villain going down a spiral of destruction. He gently ran his fingers the sides of her face, bringing her close. She didn't fight back. Her closeness was burning. He felt nothing but pure relief from the pain, the bangle no doubt feeding on her good intentions, her determined spirit. It was intoxicating. He was so grateful he could kiss her.

And he did.

It was harsh and desperate. Rachel didn't imagine to have those words contribute to her first kiss. It didn't feel right. Like something was compelling him to do it instead of  _actually_ doing it. She opened her eyes during the kiss, confused, only to find him not staring at her, but staring at the bracelet pressed against his shoulder.

Instead of crying out, she pulled away abruptly and slapped him. Hard. "Get a hold of yourself, Dickson!"

Whatever she did, it worked. Chad nursed his stung cheek and glared at her. "What was that for?!"

"How could you do that? You're not even..." Rachel paused and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying not to either cry out in frustration or cry out with a wounded heart. "You know what? I'm angry Chad. You're not all there. Something is wrong with you."

"I'm fine," he gritted out as she stepped away. He longed for more contact, to end this pain. "Now come here!"

"No. You hurt me, Chad!"

Chad stared incredulously at her. "I barely even touched you!"

"No." She stepped forward again, hurt and angry. Her sudden intimidating presence caused him to step back in alarm despite his need. Rachel pressed a hand to her chest. "You hurt me right  _here_. Every single day you were gone. Every text you didn't send back telling me that you were alright, every dismissive thing people have said to disguise the truth. Everyone is literally-LITERALLY locking me out for some reason regarding you. And despite everything, despite all the lies and the secrets, I walked,  _in the pouring rain for crissakes_ , just to see you. And instead of telling me the truth, you just treated me like I'm just your next girlfriend of the month." She shook her head, lowering her eyes. "I'm sorry but...I'm tired. I'm tired of asking you to trust me because I know I won't be getting it. From anyone."

Pulling off the bangle, she pressed it into his hands. He seemed to have wanted it. He could have it. "Get better, okay?" Despite her heart breaking, she hoped, _prayed_ , that Chad would be well again. With whatever that's happening to him. Eyes softening at his stunned expression, she pulled her jacket on again and climbed out his window.

The Me'Mori band in his hands was suddenly very cold.

* * *

Rachel hated thunderstorms but right now she was thankful for it. She could cry and no one would be wiser to it.

It was hard. It was frustrating. Not just the whole hiding things from her. Everyone had been doing that. But also because her heart was burning. Burning for someone who felt like he deserved nothing and yet still continued on despite everything.

Was it first love? The thought scared her.

"He's sick, you know." Said a strange chorus of voices that were in unison. "Very, very sick." Startled, she turned to the sound, finding a group of teenagers uniformly dressed and protected under a very giant umbrella. Their butler looked oddly self-defeated.

"Who's sick?" She asked, her expression reserved. Though the blond had an idea who they were talking about.

"Chad Dickson." Why they were talking at the same time, she didn't know. What she did focus on was her gut and it was telling her not to trust these eerily looking teenagers. "He's a very complex young man. Proud. He won't even tell you he's sick, I bet."

Rachel looked away and stared at the rain soaked ground, not wanting to admit this. Their next words, however, got her to look again. "We can help cure him."

"Can you?" She walked toward them. "Can you really? What is he sick from? How do you know that he's sick?"

"We. Know. Everything." Their monotone turned into a menacing tease and they gestured to the open limo behind them. "Come with us, Rachel McKenzie. We will tell you everything you need to know. Come. Have tea with us. You'll love to meet our _Father_."

Rachel hesitated, knowing that her gut was usually right. But if she could somehow help Chad in anyway, she'd do it in an instant.  _He'd do anything for her._

With a resolute nod, she followed them into the limo.


	20. Year Three - Discordance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything falls apart.

**Year Three**  - Discordance

The tea looked hot and inviting, but Rachel didn't dare touch it. She had read too many mystery novels to feel safe drinking something that a highly dubious stranger... strangers would invite her to try. Even if they were teenagers. Very, very creepy teenagers.

"Please. We insist. Drink." The strange teens said in unison, sipping from their own cups like it was an afternoon tea party. Instead, Rachel took the time to look around from her perch on the couch, finding stereotypical things a mansion usually had: elegant seating, a roaring fireplace, the occasional mounted head of a stag. From these things alone she knew who lived in a place like this, having had visited quite a few mansions herself back in the day.

A single man lived in this place. A single man who liked everything neat and ordered and under control. Like the teenagers before her. "So...it's your father that Chad's employed with?"

"Numbuh 274? Oh yes." They took another sip. "Ever since he was thirteen, he has worked for Father."

A dozen questions spilled from her lips. What did Chad do under their father's employ? Did he do bodyguard detail too? Was it something else? What was he sick with and how does their father know? Why was everyone so secretive about things?

But the strangely delightful teens remained patient. Aggravatingly patient. "In due time you will know, Ms. McKenzie. You will know everything." Whether they planned it or not, one of the giant double doors had suddenly opened, revealing a dark haired man in... Rachel didn't want to be rude, but dorky clothing. Slightly gnawing on his pipe, he took a good look at her and his expression changed from annoyed, to anger, and then to delight.

"Well now. This must be the great Numbuh 362! And look how grown up you've gotten since the last time I saw you. Oh, how time flies!"

Rachel stood up, a bit confused. "I don't...were you at my dad's functions or something?" He seemed to have known her, but she certainly didn't. And the number... she didn't understand why he called her that. "Maybe you have me mistaken for someone else. I'm Rachel McKenzie. Not this number 362."

Father chuckled. "There are many things you don't know. Simply because... you don't remember." She frowned at that. "But don't worry. I have all of the answers you're looking for. And more. Of course," He rubbed his fingers together. "There is a price."

"Of course there is." She sat back down. "What do you want from me?"

Father smiled. It was no longer homely. It was sinister.

"Your  _allegiance_."

* * *

The Teens Next Door didn't operate at all like the KND. If anything, it was more like the Intelligence Network of KND; always in the shadows, but always there. The fact remained that when he called all operatives to report, be it in person or by teleconference, this was the first time in history it had ever been done.

To delay all current missions for this one important meeting was a sign of desperation and the need for unity. Maurice was the Director of this organization. This organization that, technically, does not exist. And he needed to be accounted for the six potential agents lost to this mess. A mess that the GKND had created and he was forced to clean up.

The large room was completely dark save for the dim glow of the hundreds upon thousands of prompters online, many of whom belonged to agents from other parts of the world. The one constant light was the lone spotlight in the middle of the floor where he willingly stepped into and addressed the dark crowd.

"Operatives, you were chosen for a reason," Maurice began, placing himself at parade rest. Some had done the same. Others were too distressed by what was happening to even bother. "When your time in the KND ended, you were each hand selected to join our cause; to continue to protect children everywhere even as we faced the advent of teenagehood... and eventually adulthood. That is why, I must inform you all that the possible rumors circulating are true: our six agents, potential agents, KND agents, had been captured by what intel suggests are The Children and they are...irretrievable."

The once quiet room exploded with angered complaints.

"What do you mean 'irretrievable'?!"

"Can't we do something?!"

"MY LITTLE BROTHER WAS IN THAT GROUP! I WANT SOMETHING DONE!"

Maurice raised his hand and waited for the incited agents to settle down. "Our  _source_  says they are irretrievable. But  _I_  didn't say they were." He stood at attention. "As your Director, I am personally overseeing an emergency recruiting docket for a mission. One that will be extremely dangerous. It has always been our duty to protect not just the children, but maintain and preserve the value of the Kids Next Door. I cannot promise everyone would make it out in one piece, but I will not stop anyone from trying. If you wish to join the newly commissioned KND Retrieval Task Force, send your candidacy to Numbuh 5."

One person stepped forward. "Sign me up, Director."

And then two more. "We submit our candidacy, Director!" Eventually, dozens upon dozens of operatives started to move forward, each wishing to join to retrieve the children under GKND's care. Some of the prompters from foreign operatives began to blink red, signalling their sent candidacy emails. Their bravery was commendable, but not all of them will make the cut. The task force was meant to be nothing more than a group of highly capable operatives, not a small army. He would need his best espionage agents for the most quiet, yet most dangerous mission they would ever undertake. Maurice silently nodded proudly at them and directed the rest once more to apply through the appropriate channels.

"While some of you have a stake in this more than others, to ensure a greater chance of succeeding, the Floor will go over each mission spec and profile to pick out the best of the best. Once again, submit your candidacy at your earliest convenience. If you are chosen, you will know."

Leaving the stage, he disappeared into his office, his inbox already overflowing with responses of potential candidates. She was extremely quiet coming in, but Maurice had been undercover for almost five years. He knew that Abigail was in the vicinity. "Abigail."

"Maurice." Abby emerged from the shadows. "You really think the Galactic Kids Next Door has gone rogue?"

Maurice steepled his fingers. "Rogue, or desperate. Whatever their conflicts are, I refuse to let them compromise my agents for their own gain. Whether or not we're on the same side."

Abby agreed. "Numbuh 5 never trusted Infinity. Not then, not now." She paused. "And are we still trusting Chad? Numbuh 5 know... something happened to him." She was there when they had carted his unconscious body to a safe house after the attempted coup.

He didn't want to talk about it. She noticed the dismissive look in his eyes. "Numbuh 274 was instrumental in the abduction of the splinter cell whether intentional or not. There are consequences for compromising our agents." Returning to his desk, he browsed through his files and saw a familiar candidate on the roster of potentials. Maurice looked up at Abby. "You want to join the Retrieval Task Force?"

There was a pause before she nodded. "Numbuh 5 be doing it anyway, but...this one's a favor to someone."

"Numbuh 3, is that it?" He leaned back in his seat, his expression grim when they had looked at all the missing children's report. Abby had noted that Kuki Sanban's younger sister, Mushi, was on the list. Mushi wasn't even a KND operative, being cited as a potential villainous threat was too dodgy for her to even be considered for recruitment. How she ended up part of The Children on Moonbase was still a mystery.

Abby put her sunglasses on, disclosing nothing on her face. "Numbuh 3 can't go on this mission, but I can." It was hard seeing Kuki lost and helpless, feeling like she should do something, but can't figure out what.

"And you expect me to authorize this?" Maurice didn't have to say so, but he mentioned it, wanting to see how determined she was to see this through. Abby folded her arms coolly.

"I expect you to make me their  _Commander_. And contact you-know-who about this."

Maurice, for the first time, started to fidget in his seat. "It's under control, Numbuh 5. I got this." She wasn't impressed by his statement.

"Uh-huh. And let Numbuh 5 know when you come back from Candyland.  _Puh-lease_." His expression turned grave and she blinked. "But the Task Force. You said that 274 wouldn't tell you the coordinates. You're not... you're not gonna do what Numbuh 5 thinks you're gonna do."

"He's made it perfectly clear that he won't give me the coordinate codes to Infinity's base." Maurice took a breath and picked up his phone. "Protocol says..."

"Numbuh 5 knows that Numbuh 9 knows protocol. I wanna know if Maurice knows what he's doing to an old friend." The older teen bowed his head for a moment.

"Maurice knows what he's doing." He said with a finality and called Father.

* * *

"I... uh, how exactly will my allegiance do... anything?" Rachel didn't think she was all that special aside from being the Sophomore President. Why Father would want her influence over a group of teenagers was beyond her.

Father happily prattled on, almost as if he was in a completely different mood entirely. "Oh, you won't have to do much. Run errands, help an old man out, do some recruiting. You see, I run a very influential business regarding you teens. I give you perks like a paying job, parties, and all sorts of doo-hickies...and you help me destroy THE KIDS NEXT DOOR!" Rachel blinked when the man raised his arms to the air, incensed in triumph. His violent mood swing reminded her of her mother and that in turn made her wonder if Father knew about a wonderful thing called anti-psychotics.

"Kids Next Door?" She repeated. It sounded familiar. Thinking back, she remembered the first time she met Chad and how he had talked about them. They were some sort of organized gang of children. Even if they were a notorious gang, shouldn't he leave that to the police or something? "They're just kids." Rachel frowned, finding this a bit silly.

"THEY'RE NOT JUST KIDS! THEY'RE A PAIN ON EVERY SINGLE ADULT! ALWAYS WHINING AND CRYING AND BEING DISOBEDIENT!"

This guy was coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs. No way that he would know anything about helping Chad. "... I'll think about it." That seemed to give Father pause. "Do you have a number or something so I can call you?"

Father scratched his head. "Well... I suppose so." He offered her his card with the words imprinted:  _Benedict Uno - Father, Adult Villain_. She quirked an eyebrow at that but said nothing, slipping it into her pocket. "You think about that, Numbuh 362. The perks of joining the Teen Ninjas far outweigh anything that you can possibly imagine!"

Teen Ninjas. Her eyes narrowed. She had quite a skirmish with that group during her last two years. They had tried to rig this year's election and from what Patton had told her, they may have already succeeded in two of them. Shaking her head, she feigned interest. "Sounds cool... dude. I'll totally think about it! But I gotta go home now. My parents are totally strict on curfew and stuff."

"Oh yes, I know your father very well." Father rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Always thought he was a softie with his kids. Brutal lawyer, but a softie. It's good that he's finally enforcing some good ol' fashioned discipline."

"Right." She had enough of that. As the butler pointed helpfully at the giant double doors, she took a final glance at the teenagers still sitting on the couch. For some reason, she felt an instant pity for them.

_Tell the Kids Next Door we miss them!_

She paused, hand on the doorknob. Shooting a surprised glance over her shoulder, she could've sworn someone had just yelled those words. But the occupants were silent and, shaking her head, she ended up in the hallway. It might have just been her imagination.

She walked a short distance until she found a small corridor. Making sure no one was watching, she silently slipped through, dodging the butler in the process.

Rachel didn't trust Father, but he knew things about her. Knew things about Chad and who knows what else. She wanted answers and, instead of the honest way of doing things, something compelled her to search for her answers in the quiet; hidden and out of sight. Like she was far too used to doing things this way.

It was strange. It was like she's been here before. Meandering quietly through the dark hallways and empty rooms, something led her to some stairs leading down, pretty sure she's seen this place before. She looked around before attempting the walk down, making sure her footsteps were extremely silent.

Someone left the door ajar, almost as if they ran out at the last minute. Slipping inside, she found a gigantic room full of shelves. Shelves that housed many strange weapons made of everyday objects, almost a shrine to them. Down these shelves stood a lone, giant file cabinet. Eyes narrowing, she approached that first.

They were numbered from one to who knows how many numbers. Brow furrowing, she ran her fingers lightly down each cabinet looking for the  _200-300_  one. With a triumph sound in her head, she pulled the file door open, revealing a lot of manila hard copies, strangely primitive in comparison to the onslaught of computers and wireless storage filing. Fingers silent and tentative, she hovered down for number 274.

His file was thick, unbelievably thick, and possibly filled with the information she needed. Too much savvy to know not to pause to read while in enemy territory, she slipped the folder into her jacket, turned to leave... and then paused; her eyes glanced at the  _300-400_  drawer.

Father had called her number 362. Too curious not to know, she searched through the drawer, her breath shortening and her fingers trembling in anticipation.

The first thing she saw in her folder was her picture, seemingly taken when she was younger. She almost dropped the folder in shock, catching the photo as it slipped from the paperclip. She looked to be around eleven years old at the time, looking at the camera with such a stoic expression, she almost thought that it was a joke. With a loud orange sweater and a modified colander on her head, Rachel pinched her lips at the number etched on her helmet.  _362_. She only glimpsed the front page, but there were already riddled with accolades and recommendations for things she didn't remember doing. One of awards handed to her profile was dated when she was  _six years old_  for crissakes! It was like looking at someone else's file who had her face and her name and that was it. She couldn't comprehend that she had done these things, let alone be a part of some strange militaristic organization for children her age.

The moment too intense, she immediately closed the folder and hugged it, her breath now unsteady and her shoulders shaking. It was like she didn't know herself anymore. This couldn't be real.

Steadying herself back to normal, she pocketed her folder too and decided that was all she was going to get if she wanted to escape undetected. Glancing back at the cabinet she wistfully wondered how many of them were a part of this whole KND business. Was it a good thing? She wouldn't be in it if she didn't but then again...

Father's sudden appearance stopped her from taking another step.

"Well well, what have we here? I guess you can take the kid out of the Kids Next Door, but you can't take the Kids Next Door out of the TEEN!" Father's whole body erupted into flame. Stumbling back in alarm as an inky blackness seemed to be covering the entire man, she morbidly thought about how it resembled what happened with Alana. Did everyone just burst into flame or something?!

He moved forward, igniting some of the gadgets in the process. She scrambled back. "I just got a very interesting call from one of my kids. Apparently, your little bodyguard was a double agent! I bet he didn't even plan on giving you to me!" Rachel ended up back to the cabinets in an attempt to get away from the flames. "YOU KNOW WHERE HE IS! WHERE IS THAT BACKSTABBING LITTLE-?!"

With a scream, she ran, sliding under Father and aiming for the door. Whatever had happened she needed to get out.  _Fast_. Father let out another roar as she scrambled up the stairs, fire licking dangerously at her sneakers.

Something told her that if she tried to attempt an exit the usual way, she'd be caught, so she went in a completely different direction, going from room to room to find a way out. Finding a random study with plenty of windows, she quickly shut the door and attempted to barricade it with a sofa, hearing his yells and feeling the temperature steadily heat up with every second passing.

She tried the front window and unlocked it, putting her weight into lifting the heavy shutters. Her heart was beating fast and yet she remained completely cool about it, letting the adrenaline dictate where she wanted it instead of panicking.

It only seemed to prove that somehow, the folders she had on her person had some kind of truth to them. If she was really some kind of super secret agent then things were starting to make sense. Managing to get the window halfway open, the doors exploded in a shattering of wood and cinder, causing her to turn around in shock as Father swooped in.

"Oh no! COME BACK HERE YOU BROCCOLI EATING FREAK OF NATURE!" He managed to grab on to her shoe, causing the rubber there to hiss and melt. Rachel screamed, flailing her legs as she tried to pull herself out the window.

Then she kicked him in the face with her free leg. Twice. Three times. Many times. "Get. Off. Of. Me. You. Shadow. Freak!"

"SHADOW FREAK?!" He exclaimed between kicks, insulted. "OW. OW. OW. OW. OW!"

She punctuated her last words with a heavy kick, causing the man to loosen her hold and manage her escape.

The Delightful Teens looked over the damage of the door and nervously watched Father rub his face. "She KICKED ME! That little brat  _KICKED_  ME! She's decommissioned! HOW CAN SHE DO THAT?!"

* * *

Chad needed to leave. Immediately. Everything had just got even worse when Rachel left, having received a message from an anonymous source that he had an Adult Traitor Beacon out on him from the Teen Ninjas, successfully deducing that he was a double agent to their cause.

He just never expected Maurice to rat him out. He didn't expect Maurice to put a freaking  _ATB_  on him. But the Director was desperate for something to happen. He knew that. But now he was considered an enemy to Father and blocked from asylum by the TND. He had nowhere else to go but to return to Infinity's base and deal with the fallout from there.

Already grabbing his emergency travel bag, he took one last look at his room, knowing that this would probably be the last time he would ever return here. The last time he would ever see his parents again. Once upon a time, he wouldn't have cared, but age seemed to have made him soft. Or someone.

Rachel's bracelet was on his desk, having put it there after she climbed out the window and wished him the best. And yet, despite all the problems that had suddenly piled onto his shoulders, it was her disappointment in him that bothered him the most.

She never asked much from him. Not like the others. And he couldn't even return the favor.

Too disgusted with himself to use the gift he had given her, he decided to leave it behind. Maybe his mother will find it and give it to her one day. The stifling pain was slowly returning and proceeded to leave before he lost his nerve and take the bracelet.

The Teen Ninjas will be here soon to take him to Father, no doubt pissed that he's had a sleeper agent at his side for nearly five years. Allowing himself a self-deprecating grin at what he imagined to be the look on Father's face, he started to climb out the window.

That is, until his computer suddenly lit up with a message.

_You're out of time._

Frowning, Chad climbed back into the room and checked the screen. He didn't see the origins of the writer, nor any address or contact info. Someone was taking control of his computer from a remote location.

_You will be discarded._

Chad narrowed his eyes and sat back in his seat. Why do people always have to be cryptic about these things? It was really becoming annoying. Before he could ponder any further, his door was being knocked on and his mother's hesitant voice bled through the woodwork. His chest twisted uncomfortably at the sound, but he suppressed it.

"Chad-dear, your friend Cavallero's here to see you."

He was already out the window and out of sight.


	21. Year Three - Desertion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope comes in the most unlikely of places.

**Year Three**  - Desertion

The leftover rain left the dark environment in an eerie fog, the occasional street light providing illumination for the teenage girl slipping in and out of cars and buildings. She had seen the Teen Ninjas in action and decided that the only way to dodge them and Father was to emulate their strategy: keep to the shadows and only strike when necessary.

She had returned to Chad's home hoping for answers, only to find it swarmed with Ninjas, and she bypassed the idea altogether. From the looks of things, it seemed as if Chad had eluded capture, a Ninja's bike radio cackled in and out when she was bold enough to sneak closer.

_"I want him found! At any cost!"_  Father had hollered through the radio. _"And then I want the McKenzie girl!"_

Father had said something like that during their confrontation of Chad being a double agent or something. Double agent for who, that was still on the table for her. Maybe the KND? It seemed possible. The folders in her jacket felt heavy with the idea.

Wherever Chad had gone, he wasn't answering his phone. Rachel sat at an abandoned bus stop, her cell phone blaring twelve o'clock before she flipped it open. She was going to have to check in at home soon, but if she was lucky, her dad hadn't noticed she was gone. Maybe Harvey would if he was still awake.

"Hello?" A young male voice picked up the phone. Before she could respond, she could hear him try to stifle a very obvious yawn.

Rachel smiled. "Hey Harvey. Why are you up so late?"

"Why are  _you_?"

She rolled her eyes. "Because I'm out."

A guffaw of laughter caused her to pull the phone back from the loud volume. "No kidding! Gone out to see your boyfriend or something?" She can actually imagine the scowl on his face. "You're gonna be in so much trouble when dad finds out his little Miss Perfect's gone and broke curfew."

"If he's still awake, can you tell him I'm staying at a friend's house? I need to get this project done before it's due."

Can kids his age smell a lie? It was technically true. This was a project that she needed to find out: her identity. There was a notable silence before Harvey answered. "Yeah, whatever. You owe me for this." Rachel nodded despite the fact that he couldn't see her do it. "And hey... want me to explain to your friends here that you're sleeping over?"

Rachel's eyebrows pinched in confusion. "Friends?"

"Yeah. They look like they're from the drama department or something. Wearing ninja armor and stuff." Rachel paled at the description. "You still there, Rachel?"

She instantly nodded. "Yeah. Yeah. Make something up. Tell them I'm at a relative's or something. They're..." She took a breath. "They're like, totally uncool and stuff. Seriously dude."

"Ugh. Alright alright." The line clicked dead and Rachel stuck out her tongue. They've already sought her out at home. She  _definitely_  couldn't go back for now. Idly thumbing Chad's contact information, she pressed it after a minute, pretty sure she had let her conflicting feelings get the better of her this time.

He didn't deserve that. Not when he looked like he was so much in pain. Guilt began eating at her when the ringer went straight to voicemail.

_This is Chad Dickson. Leave your name and message and I'll call you back eventually._

Rachel shook her head at such a dismissive recording. "Chad. This is...ugh, you know who this is. Listen, Father's after me and I guess he's after you too. First off, are you alright? Because if you're not..." She faltered and shook her head again, her voice much softer. "Listen, I know... I know you're not in a good place right now and I'm not making it any easier for you, I know. You know what, don't worry about me. Take care of yourself. If you can, _I can_."

She bit her lip. "I... really care about you, you know? More than you'll ever-"

_Message exceeded._

"Dammit." She snapped her phone shut and looked up at the sky, the clouds blocking the sight of a full moon every few minutes. That seemed to calm her nerves and allow her to take a breath. What she was carrying was no doubt vital to someone, mainly her. And it was possibly a glimpse into Chad's real self.

She needed to find somewhere safe. Somewhere where people wouldn't suspect her to be at.

Resolutely, she dialed Lizzie Devine's number.

* * *

The chase would have been hard to escape from if Father didn't send such amateurs after him.

Chad zoomed down a mostly empty highway and instantly regretted it. While it was the fastest way to the rendezvous checkpoint, it left him very much out in the open. That was when the Teen Ninjas attacked.

Clipping past a honking SUV, Chad gunned his bike with a loud growl of the engine, occasionally looking over his shoulder as both cars and motorcycles were in hot pursuit of him. He used the low amount of traction from the previous rain to slide dangerously into the next lane, dodging all sorts of missiles in the process. Not to mention spraying a few who managed to catch up to him in defiance.

Did Father take him for an idiot or something? Annoyed, his blue eyes slid over to the railing of the freeway, finding themselves heading onto an overpass as the ramp gave way to height. Cypress Road was a bit far from the rendezvous location, but it had excellent alleyways.

Ignoring the beating of dull pain rising up his neck, he used a leftover road work ramp to jump off the railing and sailed off the freeway and onto the adjacent road, landing on a parked truck in the process. Gunning his engine again, he jumped back onto asphalt and zoomed off.

"Is this guy for real?!" A random Teen Ninja gaped before he smashed his bike against another's.

Ignoring her crashed comrades, Cree stopped near the railing and took off her helmet, watching Chad zoom off with calculating eyes. "Tch. Amateurs." She raised up her walkie-talkie. "Get the helicopter. _Now_."

* * *

Lizzie had whined about her dropping by at such a late hour, but nevertheless let her in. "You'll have to be quiet though." The redhead whispered, finger to her lips as Rachel stepped into an obviously darkened living room. "You're lucky you're not a boy. This'll be easy to explain to my parents in the morning."

"Oh, I don't want to get you into trouble. I'll just leave before they get up." But Lizzie just waved away her considerations and ushered her into her room. Rachel blinked at how reasonably girly it was. Not the gaudy kind, but pretty feminine.

Lizzie took Rachel's jacket, allowing the blond to physically hold the folders while she hung it up. "What? Never seen a girl's bedroom before?"

She shrugged. "Once." Fanny had showed Rachel her room once, but it was nothing like Lizzie's. She had shoved all of her beloved stuffed animals into a closet and filled it with boy band posters and the occasional tinkering object of an archaic design. She always did like her archery weapons.

It was nice having girlfriends, she thought. She's hung out with far too many boys for her liking.

Lizzie's dresser had a lot of pictures, most of it obviously her family. Catching a glimpse of one of them, she smiled at a picture of a couple with a woman who looked startlingly like Lizzie, except she was far much older with a husband and a baby in his arms. "You're an aunt?"

"Yup!" She said proudly from within her closet, puttering about to find decent sleepwear for Rachel. "He's turning one year old in a couple of months! He's so adorable!" Humming in agreement, Rachel set the folders down and accidentally knocked over a picture. "Oops. Sorry!" She righted the frame and caught a glimpse of a scowl and shiny black glasses.

It was a boy no older than ten, with a prominent bald head. He was folding his arms and staring critically at the camera as if he had better and greater things to do than taking a simple picture. It was almost like her own operative picture... if she could call it that. Her mind was still reeling from the implications. "Who's this?"

"Oh. That's my Nigie." Lizzie plunked her chin on Rachel's shoulder, looking at the photo with a mixture of wistfulness and affection. "My old childhood boyfriend. You know how that goes, I bet."

Rachel shook her head. "Actually I don't." She never had time; never even conceived the notion of it. And if whatever was in her folder true, she was much too busy being an operative to even think about that. A thought struck her. "You once said that... he disappeared?"

With a shake of her own head, Lizzie turned away. "He was always trying to save the world for kids. He hardly spent any time with me. I always had to yell and scare him into doing normal couple stuff." She plucked at the hem of the pajamas she had aimed to let Rachel borrow. "I just wanted to do normal couple things like go out on dates and hold hands. He was too busy for that. And then things got weird so I just... I just ended things with him. I was just tired of competing with the Kids Next Door. I was tired of being ignored. I don't know."

"That... sounds like a reasonable explanation." Rachel couldn't imagine what it was like for her ten year old self trying to be patient for a boy that broke his promises. She was almost sixteen and even _she_  had very little patience for boys like Chad. "... Kids Next Door, you say?"

Lizzie shrugged and gave her the pajamas. "Yeah. They went by code numbers or something. He was number 1. That's kind of a feat, if you think about it. I think he was the best, but I never really cared for it. One day he just... POOF! Disappeared! Vanished! His friends kept saying he's studying abroad. That's a load of bull if I ever heard it! I've sent him letters; never received an answer. His parents kept misplacing his 'phone number' so I gave up on that." With an aggravated huff, she plopped herself on the bed. "Ugh, I don't want to talk about it. It's been years ago. I'm  _trying_ to not remember, thanks."

"No, no! Maybe you can help me!" Rachel took her folder and sat on the bed, laying out the files. "You know about the KND, to an extent. I think... this thing says I was like him!" Lizzie stared at her with disbelief before taking the first page and glancing through it.

"Oh. Ohhhh..." Lizzie's eyes widened with realization. "I don't think you were supposed to get this file."

Rachel frowned. "Why not?"

"It says you were decommissioned. I remember something like that. Your memory gets erased." She fixed her glasses as she read the rest of Number 362's dossier. "I wonder what you did that made them do that. It says here you were like...the Supreme Leader."

"And what did the Supreme Leader do?"

Remembering exactly what the position was, she looked at Rachel with something akin to awe. "I think you were the leader of the KND! Everyone,  _including Nigel_ , reported to you."

* * *

Turning into an abandoned alleyway, Chad dialed Infinity through his helmet. "Infinity! The mission has been compromised. Requesting emergency transport at the designated rendezvous site."

Infinity's holographic image flickered against the transparent shell of his helmet. "Standby for rendezvous, Numbuh 274." And then he disconnected. Chad tried to force a grimace down. He was in deep-

A bright light seemed to envelope his entire person. He looked up and heard the muffled sound of a helicopter hovering above the buildings, its spotlight bearing down angrily on him. _Cree_. Twisting his handlebars, his engine growled as he upped his speed, screeching past honking cars in a hard left.

She was going to be a pain to escape from. Another hard left and he immediately stopped in an alleyway and got off his bike, activating the auto-pilot. "There better not be any scratches when I get ba-" He paused. There  _was_  no going back.

He had never regretted being an operative of the KND. He never regretted willingly taking on the hardest job a KND operative could ever have after Numbuh 100 left. He had never regretted taking Infinity's offer for the chance to join the stars and fight on a galactic scale. And he had never regretted sullying his name and reputation to get to that point.

But for the first time in his life, he felt regret. Regret for being unable to help Maurice, regret for his parents' concern for his future... and regret for her, who could only be confused and frustrated when she only wanted to see the real him. Now, he wasn't even sure anything about him was real. Was he the operative? The traitor? The agent? He didn't know. And maybe, that was his biggest regret.

And now he was at a loss, not sure what to do. For the first time in his life, he had no backup plan, no way of escape under his terms. Letting the bike roar itself back to life and allow itself to be chased with a holographic version of himself riding, Chad slipped away as soon as the whirring of propeller blades faded out of sight.

He didn't see a transport pod at the rendezvous site but when he approached, a futuristic looking ball fell from the sky to plop itself down on the dirt. It released a hologram of Numbuh Infinity. "Numbuh 274. Your triple agent status has been compromised."

Chad stepped forward, angered. "And who's fault is that?!" He snarled, half of it due to Infinity and the other half due to the searing pain that was lacing into his skull. "You know what Numbuh 9 would do. I did what you ordered and it was my ass that was on the line for it."

"Such language." Infinity placed his hands behind his back. "How very  _adult_ of you." Chad flinched at the statement. "But unfortunately, you are no longer bound to both the Teens Next Door and the Teen Ninjas. You were a very valuable asset to us, but we are now at an impasse. The Council has deemed your services now expired. Thank you for your hard work and contribution."

Fury burned into his blood. "You BASTARD!" He snarled. "You're cutting me loose?! After everything I've done?!"

"It is nothing personal, Mr. Dickson. You see, the Galactic Kids Next Door prides itself on having the best  _children_  operatives at our beck and call to diminish the threat of adults. We apologize for deceiving you, but you were our only link into the workings of our enemy. Now that it has been compromised, I have been tasked with decommissioning you."

"Like hell you are!" Chad growled, balling his hands into fists. "If the KND couldn't decommissioning me, what makes you think  _you_  will?" He jumped back in alarm when the ball swirled up dangerously and started blinking.

"You misunderstand me, Mr. Dickson." Infinity said softly, almost in regret. "You see, we have a different means of decommissioning than what your Earth customs allow. We do not wish for your memories, former 274. We wish for your  _life_."

Eyes widening, his sharp gaze zeroed in on the ball, which began to blink violently with each passing second. It was a bomb.

"It has been an honor, Numbuh 274."

Chad activated his Utility Watch, summoning an energy shield just as the bomb detonated, incinerating everything within ten meters. He was flung back from the force, crashing into a junk pile as the sharp ringing in his ears disoriented him.

From base, Infinity watched as Chad used an energy shield before the transmission shortened out and shook his head. "It is a real pity that we could not have recruited you when you were young. You would have been a great ally." Knowing that the blast failed, he opened up a panel and uttered a voice command.

"S-Spore N-342-56. Initiate self-destruct."

If the blast didn't kill him, then the S-Spore will.

* * *

Rachel and Lizzie were going over Numbuh 362's mission specs when a sudden bang startled them, possibly startling the rest of the house.

Hearing Lizzie's father swear down the hallway, Rachel peered out the window and paled. There were masked people coming inside. Instantly guilty, she grabbed Lizzie by the shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Lizzie! They're after me! Just stay here and I'll surren-!"

The bedroom door was hit with a loud bang. Without another word, Lizzie forced Rachel into the closet before the intruders rushed inside, knocking the redhead out with some sort of gas before she had the chance to scream. Grabbing her phone she dialed the only one who ever answered her calls without fail: Fanny.

A groggy voice answered. "Do ye know what time it is, Rachel? I oughta change my phone num-"

"Help me." She whispered urgently. That seemed to waken up the Irish teen considerably. "I'm at Lizzie's. They're going to take me and you need to contact someone...anyone who knows about the KND."

"KN-what?" Fanny's answer was just as much as a whisper. Rachel can hear her stumbling about trying to get dressed.

"There's no time! Just find someone...!" Realization hit her. Abigail was once Nigel's friend. Lizzie had said that once upon a time. Maybe she was a KND agent too. "Call Abigail Lincoln. Tell her-"

The closet door slammed open and she was dragged out, the phone escaping from her hands. She saw Lizzie's parents in the same state out in the hallway. Fear gripped her and, her muscle memory kicking in, she twisted her body and kicked off her assailant. While he was wheezing on the floor, she scrambled for the window.

"NO!" She screamed desperately, trying to get out through the window, second floor be damned, but she was grabbed from behind and lifted off her feet. Rachel kicked and screamed as she struggled to get free. "Let me go! Let me go!" But it was to no avail. The masked intruder was much stronger than her. "KIDS NEXT DOOR 362! I'M 362! 3-6-!" A hand with something smelling foul invaded her nose and throat, causing her to faint.

Her flailing ceasing in matter of seconds, the second intruder tutted in disapproval at the state of her injured comrade and easily lifted Rachel into her arms. "You got subdued by a _teenage girl_. You need to go back into training."

The first intruder hissed and unsteadily stood up, cradling his groin. "Shut up." Handing her to the next able bodied person, she walked over to the closet, hearing a strange sound.

_"Rachel! Rachel! Are ye alright?!"_  The dark covered woman picked up the phone and pressed it to her ear.

"Well this sounds familiar. Hello Numbuh 86." The woman continued to smile even as the teenage girl fell silent. "Still hating boys?"

_"...who are yo-"_  The woman dropped the phone and crushed it under her heel. "It was nice chatting with you again, Fanny." And, snapping her fingers, they walked out with what they were summoned for: the blond girl in their custody.

* * *

Chad screamed, a strange sound reminiscent to cicadas buzzing angrily against his eardrums. He gripped his head, feeling like something was trying to bash out of his skull. He began thrash violently around, unable to keep himself centered. All he knew was pain. Pain and death and a desperate wish for sweet release. Anything. _Anything_.

He didn't process when someone approached him, grabbed him hard by scruff of his jacket and stabbed his neck with a needle. Whatever was used had worked; Chad's volatile thrashing was slowly being reduced to twitching and his consciousness faded alongside with the pain.

Satisfied, the broad shouldered adult tossed the teen over his shoulder and picked up his walkie-talkie.

"Got him just in time, Mom."


	22. Year Three - Manifest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sacrifice must be made for progress.

**Year Three**  - Manifest

"Tell me what happened."

_Rachel... I thought I had it handled. But I guess I'm not as good as I thought._

"You're wrong. You're stronger than you think."

_No. I'm not._

"Chad."

…  _Rachel?_

"You're alright Chad. For now."

He slowly stirred, feeling like this was a peaceful sleep that he hadn't had in months. Fear gripped him automatically assuming from experience that every time he ended up somewhere unfamiliar on his back, he expected resistance. This time... he experimented with his wrists, pleasantly surprised that he was free to move them. Wherever he was, they didn't deem him hostile enough to subdue him. They must either be incredibly stupid, or incredibly dangerous.

A hand was suddenly placed delicately against his bare chest. "It's alright, honey. You're safe now." That was when he finally understood his surroundings, hearing for the first time the dull beeping of machines. Managing to finally open his eyes, Chad found his mother of all people hovering over him with a surprising amount of patience.

"... Mom?"

She was trying very hard not to tuck the covers under his chin. "Oh... I can't do a thing with this drafty bed, I'm sorry. I'm not allowed to mess with the tubes. You must be so cold!"

He shook his head at her familiar antics and tried to sit up, only to be pushed down by a very stern look on his mother's face. "Please don't move. You'll activate the S-Spore and then we'll have to sedate you all over again!" She gestured to the carefully placed wires his body was hooked up to which was making sure that the virus laid dormant for now.

How did she... ? "How do you know about that?" Chad demanded, though his biting tone lost its merit. It sounded more like he had too many cotton balls in his mouth to make his words a legit threat.

"Chad-dear, I'm a  _supervillain_. Whatever Father knows, I know." His mother pursed her lips. "And I didn't take kindly to him barging his Ninjas into my kitchen! I gave him quite an earful after that. For all the things he brags about having well-behaved children, he certainly didn't extend those manners to his little teen army."

He had nearly forgotten about his parents being in league with Father. They had kept to their parental duties almost to a T when they were around him. Either they were really bored doing supervillain things, or he needed to admit one day where he got his best traits from. "Father knows about the S-Spore." Chad rolled his head to the side, thinking. "How?"

His mother watched him carefully before responding. "Because your father and I told him." That caused Chad to snap his head back to her. "We don't answer to Father, Chad. We answer to a higher power. One that, possibly, you will learn about when you are much older."

Who she was talking about, he genuine did not know, but he was too exhausted to care at the moment. "And how did  _you_  learn about the S-Spore?"

"Through you, of course." She smoothed out his blankets. "We bugged your incoming transmissions from home whenever we had the chance."

"MOM!"

She had the decency to be sheepish. "Sorry, dear. But you seemed to be in such pain... more so than what we normally see when you do your KND business. And don't blame your father on this. I suggested it. When you turned down your scholarship, I knew something was wrong. And, once we found out what we needed, we forwarded them to our... well, I'm sure you will know in time. At any rate, we were ordered to tell Father what we knew. Any reason why we don't know. We don't question our orders." Her expression was blank, startling mirrored to what Chad would do whenever he was unable to give a direct answer.

He supposed he had to get it somewhere. "What happened to me at the rendezvous point?" All he remembered was an explosion. And pain unlike any other. His mother pressed her lips together again, no doubt uncomfortable to relive what was almost the demise of her only son.

"The S-Spore began to detonate. That's what our scientists believe. It attempted to incinerate...my gosh Chad, the things you get yourself into!" She frowned at him and he was half afraid that she was ready to chastise him. "It would have killed you if we didn't send HAWK after you!"

He opened his mouth to ask what HAWK was, but she raised up a finger and he closed his mouth again. "Your father stupefied you. He said that by the time he found you, you were already going into a seizure so he had to inject a small dosage of the serum prematurely." She palmed her forehead. "We had hoped to give it to you once you became an adult, but we had no choice. Right now, the only reason why you're not a stupefied icicle is because of those machines."

It didn't take much coaxing afterwards. Chad was blissfully free of pain, so he allowed the passing physicians to do what they want with the tests while he tried to recuperate. His mother remained by his side, surprisingly capable of understanding whatever medical jargon the doctor was telling her. "The S-Spore is sedated right now, but he'll have to remain on this machine until he can successfully suppress it. That would require-"

"I know," His mother nodded. "I know what he has to do." She turned to her son, not liking this one bit. "Chad?"

Chad narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her. "Mom."

"Are you ready to be passed on what your father and I have? The ability to stupefy it isn't... there's a reason why it's powerful enough to take out much of the KND. You've seen it firsthand. And it's the reason why we don't engage them with it anymore. It'll...we tested it out and it's successfully kept the S-Spore at bay. You'll be able to suppress the spore on your own if you have it. But if you won't... you'll be on that machine forever if we don't do something." She started to nervously rub her hands together. That usually spelled trouble for him.

"I can't be on this machine forever, but... I can't do what you want me to do." He simply told her. What she wanted him to do... she wanted him to become a villain. An adult antagonist against the Kids Next Door. The idea was repulsive. "What if I refuse?"

His mother looked as if she might cry. "You'll die."

There was a lengthy pause. "Then I'll die." He turned his head away from her, determined to not see her crumple up at his decision. Even after everything that's happened to him, betraying the core values of the KND was the only pure thing he had left of Numbuh 274. To give it up would be death of himself. And that was a far worse fate.

His father looked on beyond the two-way glass to the room, arms folded as his wife looked at him and shook her head. A young man stepped from the shadows, considering their bedridden guest carefully.

"He thinks he'll betray the KND if he saves his own life." The young man said lightly. Mr. Dickson looked at him, not really seeing the humor of this situation.

"My son is on that bed strapped to an experimental machine that could have made his head explode instead of saving him. And now, he's refusing the stupefy ability at the cost of his life."

The young man shrugged. "That's loyalty for you. You know where he gets it from. There's a reason why only you and Amanda were chosen for the Energy Ice ability. If anyone was going to use that power to subdue Father's fire ability, it was going to go to the two most loyal agents. And, well, it helped that you were the first who survived it." He stepped forward and pressed a finger to his ear. "Amanda, put me on speaker."

Chad's father quizzically stared at the man as Amanda moved to flip the switch by the door. "What are you doing?"

The young man hooked up the speaker wire to his phone and grinned. "I'm giving Chad the incentive to fight."

_Chad. This is...ugh, you know who this is._

Chad looked up, a familiar voice echoing throughout the room. He tried to sit up in attention only to have his mother force him back down.

_Listen, Father's after me and I guess he's after you too. First off, are you alright? Because if you're not..._

His eyes narrowed at Rachel's message and then slid over to his mother, his gaze questioning. Father was after her now? A million things came to mind, like getting out there and making sure he got one duty right for once. No, after everything he put her through, he just wanted her safe.

_Listen, I know... I know you're not in a good place right now and I'm not making it any easier for you, I know. You know what, don't worry about me. Take care of yourself. If you can, I can._

Grimacing, he let out a resigned sigh and rubbed his forehead. She wasn't making things any easier, but she was in trouble. It was his job to take care of her.

_I... really care about you, you know? More than you'll ever-_

And then the tone changed, causing him to bypass his mother's hold on him and finally sit up, the machine beeping angrily at the movement. Next thing he heard was her scream and the sounds of a mad struggle.

_NO! Let me go! Let me go!_

"Give it to me." Chad turned to his mother, determination on his features. "Whatever you have to do to get me out of this bed, do it." Death wasn't on the option when she was still in danger; when she still needed him. He didn't think she'd appreciate ending up with him on the other side, having given up on  _both_  of their lives with his stubbornness. His mother locked eyes with him for a few seconds; gauging the validity of his decision. Eventually she nodded and then centered her focus at the two-way mirror.

Chad's father nodded back at his wife even when she couldn't see him and picked up a small case. He stopped short when the young man unhooked the device.

"At least we know where his loyalties really lie." The young man smiled genuinely at the older man. "Like father, like son, huh Number 163?"

Shaking his head, Eugene walked into the room, coming across his son once more and this time, awake for once. "You know what you're doing, son?" He opened the case, revealing a syringe with a strange neon blue liquid. It was thick and sloshing inside the base. Chad looked at it with a slight hint of resignation before nodding. "I'm not going to lie. It's going to hurt, son. A lot. You might not even survive this. Few operatives do."

Chad looked between them, his face betraying nothing except for the slight nervousness in his eyes. If they could do it, so could he. "Do it." Nodding, his father prepared the syringe. His mother then took his face into her hands, gently caressing his cheekbones. He could tell she was trying valiantly not to cry.

"Whatever happens, I want you to know that you have been the greatest son we have ever raised." She told him softly, not an operative at the moment, but a mother. "And we are so proud of how strong you are. Even in your darkest moments, you have always been and  _will always_  be loved." And in that moment, Chad drank up those words of encouragement, his icy blue eyes turning soft at her declaration. Smiling, she turned his head to the side for the injection and kissed him on the forehead.

Chad's father moved to lightly clasp his shoulder. "Hey kiddo." His son looked up at him and all Eugene could think about was when the boy was seven and was excitedly trying not to tell them that he graduated into the Kids Next Door, having sworn to secrecy. He had always known he had belong there and he always will. "You're a fighter. Just like your mom. See you on the other side." And so, he left his son to fate, making the injection painless against his boy's jugular.

And then, with great indecision, he turned off the machine.

* * *

Rachel was tossed onto the carpeted floor, wincing at was probably going to be rugburns by the end of the night. She rubbed her wrists, only looking up when a shadow covered her. "Oh...you again." She grimaced at Father. "I'm still trying to figure out if it's the shadow that makes you a freak, or if it's your freakiness that makes the shadow so freaky."

"SILENCE!" Father raised his fists into air, causing a giant circle of flame to surround her. She covered her face with her sleeve and coughed from the smoke until it dimmed into a menacing low flame. "Don't you talk to me that way! Do you know who I am?!"

"I know what you want me for and I'm not going to help you!" Rachel said in defiance. She's had quite enough of people manhandling her around to get things their way. Even if in the face of a flamed madman incarnate. "I don't know where Chad is! And even if I did, I wouldn't  _tell_  you!"

Father stepped menacingly forward, causing her to fall back. "Oh, I don't need to get his location out of you, McKenzie. You see, he's going to come anyways. Especially knowing that I have you."

"That's right," Cree stepped from the shadows and grabbed her by the blond hair. She pulled her up hard to her feet. "You've got such a cutsy-wootsy crush on him, don't you? And I can't say the feeling's not mutual. He'll come alright. I know he will." Screeching from the pain, Rachel grabbed at Cree's gauntlet, trying to lessen the pull on her hair. Cree was on Father's side. She looked at the older girl, betrayal on her features. Cree seethed at such an expression and forced her back into Father's sight.

An alarm began to sound. " _Numbuh 274's been seen on the premises."_  A mechanical voice reverberated throughout the mansion.

Father darkly chuckled. "He was always the more punctual of my agents _._ "

* * *

They didn't really expect Chad Dickson to be on a rampage all for one teenage girl and they regretted being unprepared for it. The first Teen Ninja group outside the gate was severely thrashed down to size, much too incapable of dealing with an ex-operative with nothing to lose.

His power was unstable, but he didn't have time to work it out. After a grueling two hours screaming himself raw and being forced down by his parents as he rode off the icy pinpricks lacing throughout his body, he was sure death was going to claim him. On the plus side, his father noted that as of the next few hours, his body was completely numb to pain, the pain receptors simply shortening out as the EI ability raced to rewrite and reconstruct his DNA.

He had attacked the first wave of Teen Ninjas head on, too much pumped full of adrenaline to even consider a cohesive plan. The only plan was that no pain meant going headfirst into danger wouldn't deter him the slightest. Using his expert KND-specified martial arts, he took down every single one of them, the stragglers crying out desperately for back up before he knocked them out too with a well placed punch to the face.

Cavallero was part of the next wave, attacking from above the second story as soon Chad kicked his way into the mansion. His former comrade was an adept opponent, having had minimal training alongside him during their early years, but after Chad mercilessly took down three of his best Ninjas, Cavallero wisely cut his losses and decided to make a break for it.

Unfortunately for him, Chad was no longer in the right mind to leave anyone deemed an enemy standing, running like a deranged monster and tackling the teen from behind. What Cavallero saw before Chad harshly blacked him out with a sharp punch to the nose was the inhuman violet color glowing around the edges of his blue eyes.

Heavily breathing, Chad curled back up to his feet like a cobra ready to strike, shaking the blood from his knuckles with a coldness unseen before. "Sorry Cavallero," He spat out, walking toward Father's study. "Hopefully you'll wake up with something a little more than a headache." And then he suddenly doubled over, groaning as a blue and violet energy enveloped him for a moment before he focused once more and allowed it to subside. He had to do this fast before he lost control.

The handles to the double doors was hot, but he didn't feel the pain, instead only realizing it when smelled smoke after his hand came in contact with the metal. He pulled his hand aside, idly stared at the burn mark on his palm, and then backed off in a running start to bash the doors open with his shoulder.

Father was nowhere to be found except for his sleek chair in the middle of the room. Rachel was slumped on the plush seat. It was a trap, but he didn't care. When he took a step forward, smoke started to ooze out of the tiles. Another step and the ground began to shake, most of the tiles giving away around the throne as it fell into a chasm below.

A chasm full of hot lava.

"You didn't think this would be easy, did you?!" Father growled, hovering from behind the throne. When he lifted Rachel's chin up, Chad snarled in warning.

"DON'T TOUCH HER."

Unperturbed by Chad's threat, he harshly shook her awake. "Take a look, McKenzie. This is the backstabber you're in love with." Her head still pounding from being knocked out by Cree, Rachel blearily began to realize what was happening and tried to pull herself away from Father. He only gripped her chin harder, causing her to whine in pain. "I said, LOOK!" Gritting her teeth, she heeded the man's words, her eyes locking with Chad's with something akin to fear. "Do you see? He's not loyal to anyone! And looky here, his parents decided to make him an official villain. I can tell by his  _eyes_. Learned the stupefy ability did you? Tell me, Chad Dickson, who are you loyal to?! Not me! Not the KND! You're loyal to nothing, are you?!"

"Let her go," Chad simply said, taking another step. He flinched back when it caused the throne to collapse down a foot closer to the lava. Rachel squeaked in fear and Father simply laughed.

It was hot. Unbelievable heat laced up her body, causing her to sweat profusely. She looked back at Chad, her face screwed up in terror and desperation. "Aww... how sweet." Father looked between them and laughed again. "After everything he's put you through, you still depend on him. But he's not what you think he is, former 362. Even  _you_  hated him back when you were an operative." He blocked her gaze to look at her directly. "You were better off still being in love with Numbuh 1. Don't you agree, Chad?" He turned back to the fuming hyper-enhanced teen. "The whole reason you're with her is because Numbuh 1 told you to, didn't he? You're not the only one with the intel, Chad." Waving the Me'Mori bracelet, he mocked Chad's affections by slipping it onto Rachel's resisting wrist. "Even when he's gone, you're still second to a _ten year old boy_."

"Burn in hell." Chad snapped, energy flickering dangerously around him. Father drew himself up over the lava and raised the molten sludge up into giant pillars.

"I'LL SEE YOU THERE 274!" Father yelled, launching all of them at once. Rachel screamed for him and that was all Chad had paid attention to. Using what little ground was granted to him, he jumped and dodged each of them, using the walls to kick his way over to Father. The shadowed man raised his arm to launch fireball at him, but Chad had anticipated this, launching his own stupefy energy to freeze it in place. They were both surprised that he had managed it after such a short time in gaining it.

They continued this futile dance, Father attacking and Chad countering until Rachel couldn't pay attention anymore. She looked down at the lava below and tentatively pulled herself out of the throne. There wasn't much leg room and she gripped the arm of the chair hard as she tried to calculate the distance between it and the other side of the room. If she was a full KND agent, maybe she could make the jump, but at this state, she might as well just take a dive and end it all.

Chad was gaining the upper hand and, unable to give up this fight to a teenager, Father snapped his fingers. With a startled scream, Rachel gripped the throne hard as the platform under her dropped another foot, bringing her closer to the lava. This distracted Chad enough to miss the next fireball entirely as it nicked him in the arm. He crashed onto the damaged floor, gripping his completely burned shoulder.

"Once I'm done with you, Chad, I'll make sure Rachel's properly taken care of," Father said menacingly, raising his arm up for the killing blow. "My Delightful Teenagers has been lonely for quite awhile now. I'm sure they'd  _love_  another sister." Chad snapped his head up angrily, refusing to show Father anything less than defiance even in the face of death.

"FATHER!" Father turned at his name, just before he flinched back as something small and silvery smacked him right in the eye. He whirled back in mild annoyance, the bracelet falling into the lava pit below. Rachel glared at him from her still poised position from the throw, a similar defiant look in her own eyes.

And then a cold energy zapped him on the arm. Father looked at his shoulder in surprise, his arm immobilized by a strange glowing ice sheath. He looked down at Chad, the stupefying energy at full power surrounding him. Chad zapped him again, taking out Father's other arm just as he yowled in anger and tried to launch another fireball at him.

There was no witty line; no parting words. It was just a teenager having enough of an adversary. Chad launched an even bigger blast at Father, managing to stupefy the man's entire body this time. Unable to use his power to keep himself in the air, Father disappeared into the lava pit far below. Breathing heavily, Chad collapsed onto his knees, the stupefying energy flickering on and off as it fluctuated from his exhaustion.

Rachel watched as Father disappeared into the lava and then looked up. Chad had collapsed and she tried calling out to him. "Chad..." She started, until the platform under her began to shake.

Snapping out of his delirium, he whirled around as the platform shook dangerously until it collapsed entirely. It was almost in slow motion, realizing what was transpiring. And just as she yelped and stumbled off the crumbling throne, Chad jumped after her, energy flickering around him as fear finally gripped him.

He wouldn't be able to reach her in time.

Chad screamed after her and something ignited inside him, causing the entirety of their surroundings to freeze over with pure energy and ice. Rachel slammed hard onto the now frozen lava pit, her shoulder instantly numb from the impact as she cried out meekly. Chad landed a second later with a sickening crack, but he hardly felt a thing. With great effort, they both sat up and found the entire pit frozen solid.

"Ah..." With trembling fingers, tears pin-pricked the corners of her eyes as she felt the dislocation of her shoulder. "Are you alright?" Her injuries weren't as bad as Chad's, who looked like he might just drop dead from the heavy burns on his shoulder and arm. He only looked at her and, his gaze undefined, he inched his way forward, only pausing when she flinched back at him. He instantly remained on guard, realizing that she was probably fearful of him.

She shook her head. "Oh...no. That's not what I..." Flinching because of her injury, she ignored the pain in order to dispel his worry, sliding on over and outstretching her uninjured arm to him. "I can't hug you properly... sorry."

Chad's gaze flickered over to her dislocated shoulder and nodded, carefully taking her into his arms. That seemed to calm the fluctuation of his body, her presence lowering down his anxiety significantly. Sensing his body's tension slowly ebbing away, Rachel lightly bumped heads with him, entirely grateful that he was here. "You came for me." Her voice was cracked. "You're so stupid for doing it, but you actually came."

"Yeah. Real stupid." Chad murmured, pressing his forehead earnestly against her's as he allowed himself to finally breathe. "You're a pain in the ass." But a pain in the ass that he would jump through the fire for over and over again. He felt soft fingers lightly tug at the short hair behind his neck, feeling the light cool huff of her chuckle against his lips.

" _Your_  pain in the ass."

Chad closed his eyes and agreed with those words. " _My_  pain in the ass." And then, after a long moment, she kissed him on the corner of his mouth; the same place where she did it the first time on his bike during that cold winter day.

Back then, it was enough. But not anymore. He turned his head to the side and moved to give her a proper kiss for once...

"HEY! You still alive?!" The moment broken, they both pulled away and looked up, finding the same masked woman who captured Rachel earlier wave happily at them. "Oh wow, you really did a number on this place, Number 274! Need a lift up?!"

Rachel nodded. "YES!" Chad looked at her, brow raised in question. The blond smiled sheepishly. "I know her. She's friendly."

"Yes, yes, thank me later!" The woman's English accent was clearly distinct. "I'll get the rope."

* * *

Hours later, the only people left in the mansion were the Delightful Teenagers. The Teen Ninjas had left beforehand in fear of another retaliation from the one-man army they now legendarily dubbed  _Chad Dickson_. They peered over the edge of the broken study, the lava floor still completely covered in stupefied ice.

That is, until a portion of the floor began to heat up, the once white and violet color fading into a bright orange as it began to smoke. They stepped back as the whole place began to shake again and the ice cracked open, releasing an angry roar that echoed throughout the mansion.


	23. Year Three - Interlude III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things finally come to fruition.

**Year Three**  - Interlude III

Her name was Evelyn Kessler, but she preferred that everyone called her Evy. In fact, she was adamant about it, giving them both a mild stern look before becoming chipper again. "Now," She blew a bubble and chewed loudly. The two files that Rachel had on her person before she was taken in by HAWK was splayed out in the table, open and ready for review. "I'm sure you already know everything, 274, since you haven't been decommissioned yet."

"I'm not talking to you." Ever since he had heard that Evy had intentionally brought Rachel to Father as an incentive to get him to take the serum, he had been giving both her and Rachel the cold shoulder. But it didn't stop the blond girl, who gave him an earful regarding his lack of care for his own well-being until he finally acquiesced into not giving  _her_  the cold shoulder, but Evy was still fair game.

Evy pouted. "We didn't expect Father to go overboard, Chad. And Rachel agreed with the plan. It was the only way to save you. You would have done the same for her, I hope so." Chad glared at her which she mirrored the same, that ungodly popping of her gum making this mildly hilarious to everyone else in the room. Eventually he raised his hands up in surrender and fell back into his seat, too tired to argue about this.

Rachel was tired; ungodly tired, having her shoulder painfully realigned and then forced into a sling before being ushered into debriefing. Despite this, she had never been so nervous about what was transpiring. Like Chad, this woman knew of her past. In fact, she had enthusiastically proclaimed that she had known her once upon a time.

"Well I was near my thirteenth year when I knew you, Rachel. Chad might remember me... possibly. Do you? I taught Global Communications when you were in training." Chad's eyes dimmed into slits, trying to remember but found it difficult to in his current state. Evy chuckled and tapped the sheets of paper into order. "Well no matter. We'll make this quick. I'm sure you both require some rest, but we would like to cover a few things pretty quickly. So..."

"Welcome to HAWK! Helpful Adults Working with Kids," She folded her hands together. "We are the alternative underground intelligence for KND operatives who neither wish to be decommissioned, sent to the TND, or wish to join the Teen Ninjas. We provide safe extraction of said operatives, alter files deeming them successfully decommissioned, and then have them pay off our services by enlisting their own talents to the cause... if they wish to. They usually do."

Blinking slowly, Chad raised a bandaged hand to his face and rubbed his eyes. "Who do you answer to?" Evy watched him carefully, slowly popping her bubble. Her stoic expression would have been quite funny if they weren't too tired to bother.

" _Mother_." That caused both Rachel and Chad to snap alert, but both of their thoughts on a complete different tangent. Rachel was horrified at the idea, believing that Mother was another Father monstrosity and Chad was simply stunned that he had never thought of a female counterpart to Father in the first place. "Oh, don't get all dramatic about it. She's nothing like Father." Evy waved away their concerns. "But she  _is_  the reason why KND gets away with... well,  _everything_." She paused, trying not to laugh at their astonished expressions. "Do you guys want the red pill or the blue pill?"

"Enough with the jokes." Chad growled.

Mother, from what Evy had patiently explained to them, was Earth's highest KND equivalent of a Fleet Admiral, or President. Everything from supplies to bending adult laws for their needs came straight from her. She was in charge of the network of adults who used to be KND operatives, creating scenarios and 'contained' problems in order for them to gain the experience necessary for outside threats.

Threats, she described, as the GKND.

"Supervillains are for comic books," Evy explained quite cheerfully. "The supervillains your KND has deemed adversaries all answer to Mother... well, most do. Obviously, you've seen Father's hold on some of them. Your parents for example, Chad, report to Mother directly. They provide the young operatives the incentive to fight and gain experience. That's all they're really there for."

Despite everything, she was making sense with this. What kind of adult was that obsessed with candy like Stickybeard? Or Count Spankalot's threats to spank disobedient children? They were all simply there to help the operatives become adept fighters. For what, Chad didn't know.

Rachel, however, frowned in confusion. She hadn't found out about Chad's parents being part of the whole KND/Father conspiracy as of yet. "So... Father did all of this just to train us?"

"Um...no, not exactly." The older woman shifted in her seat. "The role of Father was used to commandeer the 'villains' which, I might add, are former KND agents who volunteered for the job. But the previous father, Grandfather, thought it'd be much more profitable if we treated children as slaves. He had an  _obnoxious_  obsession for anything tapioca." Evy blew another bubble. "Obviously, the previous Mother didn't like that so much. But Grandfather had the resources; he had the power. He destroyed the last era of the KND so the last of Mother's agents planted the Book of KND in the hopes that someone would eventually find it, overthrow Grandfather, and start the era all over again."

Chad knew the story well, but not in this kind of context. Rachel was much out of the loop as the next person, though she tried not to show it. "Right, so why make the KND? Why train us in the first place?"

"Only Mother knows that. My theory? We're being trained to defend... something. Something that's been coming a long time. That's why despite generations and generations of training, we still keep at it." Evy popped her gum again, which ruined such a serious moment of contemplation. She clicked her pen. "But, like I said, that's another day to talk about that. Unlike the TND or the Teen Ninjas, we try to have an open source policy. So long as it's not information about Mother personally, we don't keep much secrets within the group."

He frowned. "What if someone breaches protocol and starts blabbing to an enemy?"

She popped her gum again. "They'd be silenced. Permanently." Her pleasant demeanor continued to ruin such seriousness of her words. It was almost jarring. "But that's in extreme cases. We're actually pretty flexible with punishment... unless you do it to intend to hurt another operative. That's pretty serious, but Mother's very aggravatingly forgiving. Well, that I wouldn't know. I've never met her, but your OL probably does.  _Should_ you decide to join us, of course."

Rachel blinked. "OL?"

"Operating Leader." Evy whistled and the door behind them opened, revealing a very tall man with a stocky build. A sense of familiarity overcame Chad for a moment, taking in that scraggly brown hair. "You look familiar."

"Do I? You better seeing as you reported to me while you were still in yer trainin' diapers, 274," The young man grinned, his southern accent overwhelming. Despite his eyes hiding under his fringe of hair, he regarded Rachel with a very beaming expression. "You too. I remember you very well. Youngest little spitfire in KND Intelligence at the time; ran around with that medic who hated boys." Rachel just stared at him. He  _knew_ her.

"Numbuh 100?" Chad stood up in attention despite 100 trying to wave off the formalities. This was the boy...  _man_ who Chad had aspired to be when he was in training. Numbuh 100 just continued to grin. "Ah, I haven't been treated to such a welcome in...geez, a decade? I feel  _old_."

He urged them to call him Jason, which Chad obviously had a problem with. Jason had always been Numbuh 100. Still was. "I'm too old to be called a 'numbuh', Dickson. Up in these parts, we just use the word ' _number'._ Separates us from the sprouts."

They were offering them an enrollment, something that Rachel was all too interested in much to Chad's disagreement. He had promised Numbuh 1 that she'd live a normal life, but his failure in doing so has just delivered her to another KND-oriented organization again.

Rachel, however, was undeterred. This was a life that she had walked away from and she wanted to know why. When Evy, or what Jason affectionately called, Number 123, leafed through Rachel's operative file, the blond watched her with trepidation. A frown immediately caught her features when Evy tutted and slid the file away.

"This file is depressingly lack in information." She snipped. Jason rolled his eyes. "If you were looking for something about yourself in Father's file, you're sorely mistaken. Accolades and dossier, but no mission preferentials. No personnel file, no private communications intel, nothing. Mother has a better filing system." Rachel let out a whine when she dumped the folders into the adjacent trash. She went through  _a lot_  to get those files.

Raising up an interestingly looking stylus, Evy aimed it in the middle of the table and a bunch of holograms appeared, leafing through a giant list of digital files. She picked out both 362 and 274 files and digitally blew up their dossiers. "See this? Says here that you like spinach, but you didn't eat it because you wanted to set an example to your operatives. Father has nothing like that." Rachel blushed.

"What she's trying to extend to you is a choice." Jason stepped in, waving away a digital paper airplane that Evy was trying to pelt him with in annoyance. "We have everything you need to learn about your life, Numbuh 362. In return, we'd hope that you'd join our cause. You have plenty of assets we could use to our advantage."

Chad pulled the digital file away from Rachel, which caused her whine again and give him a very unpleasant look. "I promised Numbuh 1 I wouldn't let you get caught up in this whole thing again."

Rachel pulled the file back. "But I want to know who I was. All my life, I've felt like something was missing. This could be the answer I need!"

Jason looked between them. "Ultimately Dickson, it _is_  Rachel's decision. And yeah, we're also extending a similar invitation to you. Your intel on the GKND would be greatly appreciated because right now, we consider them a threat. Mother isn't very pleased that they've taken our kids, infected by this thing or not..."

"... it was an experiment." Everyone fell silent at Chad's admission. "They're losing some... war against the other adults out in space. They tested it on a few candidates for the GKND and it got out of hand. That's all I know."

Evy was the first to break the silence. "Now that's... disconcerting." She folded her hands, her expression troubled. "But it explains the intel we've been receiving from the TND. They're mobilizing a retrieval task force to get them back." Chad snapped his head up at the information.

"Maurice is going to get them  _killed_."

"That's why we need you, Numbuh 274." Jason interjected. "The GKND thinks they've eliminated you. That's definitely going to bite them in the ass. Mother has given my team the dossier to launch a counter-task force to protect the TND during their ambush. If we had someone from the inside, this would make things ungodly easier."

It wasn't what Chad was worried about though. They already had him; they didn't have to ask. It was Rachel's mental state he was conflicted about. What she wanted... what if her old self was trying to avoid this again? He didn't want to be responsible for her to be recommissioned and her hating him for it. "And... if I agree to join HAWK, what are you expecting from me? My cover's been blown." The Teen Ninjas feared him and the TND had abandoned him for his silence. What they expected from him he didn't know.

"You won't go undercover again. I think you've gone through enough according to our preliminary psych evals." Evy smiled kindly at him. These people were pretty adamant about keeping things light and fluffy. Chad was out of his element with this lack of secrecy. "But we'll find out more if you take the job. We pride ourselves in making sure our operatives remain extremely healthy. At any rate, you'll be back to a simple agent..."

Jason waved his hand. "Blah, blah, physicals, blah. Right now, you've kicked Father off the pedestal. Simply put, we can also use this opportunity to retake the rest of the rogue villains that were loyal to him. Take control of Father's vacant position and our pool of ex-operatives will get bigger."

Chad had somewhat expected this. His eyes narrowed. "You expect me to take over as the leader of KND's greatest supervillains."

"That's right."

Rachel looked incredulously at Jason. "Seriously? That's fantastic!" Now it was her turn to have everybody look at her. "No, you misunderstand. You said that they're not really villains, they just do it to train the KND. You can keep them in line, Chad." Ever the optimist.

Evy beamed at her and nodded. "That's right. You won't be an actual villain, Chad. Maybe to the KND, but that's always been the illusion. You'll be contributing to the future operatives."

But he wasn't convinced. He stood up. "I'm going to need to think on this."

He left before anybody could say another word of encouragement.

* * *

Rachel took the time off to call Fanny and reassure her she was fine and then having to endure the next thirty minutes getting a tirade over how horrified she was and that Patton was blaming her for the abduction and then something about cream cheese before she could calm her down. But the most interesting thing she got from the conversation was that Abigail Lincoln had yet to be found, seemingly disappearing before Fanny could relay Rachel's parting words.

Jason offered some insight about the situation. "She's a TND member I'm pretty sure. They're busy setting up the retrieval task force." Rachel still had a lot of information to consider so she didn't question his words. All she knew was that she was a part of a collective of secret agents who save the world and now Chad's former alliance was backstabbing all the good guys in the process. Including him.

She closed her eyes and tried not to grimace. The reason he was sick was due to some alien thing. And it had been  _killing_  him. And now he had that strange ice power to keep it in hibernation which apparently his parents had.

And oh god, his  _parents_. Where could she start with that?

HAWK's prominent bases were underground so she didn't have to look far, but she found him in, surprisingly enough, a playground. Scrunching her nose over why such a landmark was here, Rachel took a seat on the swing right next to him, idly making sure her arm sling didn't get caught on the chain. "So... an underground playground?"

Chad's response was blank. "KND trainees use playgrounds as a training site. No doubt, should you want to go back to your life as an agent, you're going to expand your muscle memory using it." HAWK must have a lot of decommissioned operatives somehow find their way to their origins. Eventually they would have had to erect a perfect copy of Arctic Base's jungle gym to emulate the leftover memories. It was startlingly familiar to him, but also very strange to see it here of all places.

"I should be more surprised." She snorted. Not being able to sense the nostalgia he was feeling in her current state, she slowly began to rock herself on the swing. "Do you not want me to be Numbuh 362 again?" She wanted to know but expected a wall to be put up by him, dodging the question like he did before. His very genuine response startled her.

"More than anything." Chad muttered, eyes focused on the twisted slide. "We were never... social when we were on Moonbase. Too busy running the KND, I suppose. I wish I did. You left a mark when you were decommissioned. I feel like I missed something great in watching you just be an operative." For a moment, there was only silence. "I held you in my arms once though."

Rachel beamed. "Really? You must've felt like a hero."

"You were injured. Badly." Chad let out a dismissive huff of a chuckle. "You cried once. That was it. And then you apologized. You kept apologizing when I hauled you to the ER. You thought you failed because the mission went wrong." His smile was small, nostalgic. "Most girls your age would've been  _sobbing_ , but you didn't. You were..." He finally looked at her, a mystifying expression on his features. "... you  _are_ amazing. Whatever you choose, Rachel, you're going to shine. That's your destiny."

Bashful by such a compliment, she swung to the side to bump him. "And your destiny?" She asked, her tone soft. "I know the file on Father was a bit crude, but you did a lot of amazing things."

Chad looked back at the playground again, his shoulders slumping a twitch in resignation. "I did a lot of things. Lots of which I'd want to do differently, but I know I'm always going to do the same regardless. You didn't pay attention to the debrief? My file? My ledger's completely black. KND wants nothing to do with my name or my number. I thought being branded a traitor was trivial in comparison to joining the GKND and I thought I wouldn't have to walk in my parents' footsteps. I wanted to be a  _hero_ , not a villain. But that's not realistic, is it? That's the role I'm born with."

He had never exploded like this. Never simply just vent out his frustrations, his shattered hopes and dreams. He wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to explain his actions, wanting to justify the things he did. He had never meant to be the bad guy, but in the end, he would always be in comparison to bigger, better people. Maybe it was time to admit that he deserved what he got and gracefully just accept the inevitable.

"That's not true." She leaned forward on the swing, glaring at the impeccable grey sand that she ruined with her shoes. She didn't like the defeat in his voice, the exhaustion in his words. "You're not a villain, Chad. Your parents aren't villains. They're part of a group to help kids protect themselves. You saved me, for Pete's sake. You risked your life! No villain could claim to do something as noble as that!"

"Sure they can," Chad allowed himself a self-deprecating grin. "If it's for a selfish gain. And it probably was. I want you for myself. Isn't that what Father was implying? I'm stealing you away from the hero."

Rachel made a face at him and stuck her nose up, knowing he was trying to brush her off. "Excuse me, but Numbuh 1 was Lizzie's boyfriend. And even if I... if Numbuh 362 was, I..." Her voice was quiet. "I'm not. I don't think we would have interfered with... I like Lizzie. Maybe not then, but now I am. And I'm not going to change even if they somehow brought my memories back."

Chad snorted. "You say that now..." He trailed off when Rachel let out an exasperated growl and suddenly hopped off her swing...

… and climbed onto his lap.

"Okay, give me a moment. This sounded easier in my head." She muttered, trying to get into a comfortable position. He could only stare as she pressed her folded knees tight against his sides and wrap her uninjured arm around his neck.

"What are you doing?" He complained, but his hands would have none of those words, locking themselves around her middle. He could feel her spine stiffen for a moment, trying to get used to an intrusion to her sensitive waist. Her new-found aggressiveness was both confusing and strangely exhilarating.

Rachel huffed indignantly at his question, fingers running up his jaw. "What am I... are you dense?! What do you think it looks like, Chad?!"

"It looks like a horrifyingly mediocre attempt at seducing me."

"Hey!" Her glare disappeared when he laughed and drew her close. "Is it working at least?" Something fluttered hard in her chest when he could do nothing but nod, trying valiantly not to laugh at her antics. "You owe me, Dickson." His eyes slightly widened when she leaned forward, her words soft and titillating. "You owe me for ruining my first kiss. I expect repayment for the damages."

"Yes ma'am," Chad purred, teasingly tilting his head forward to brush his lips against her cheek. She lit up in a heavy blush, but she didn't deter. In fact, she got bolder, her fingers on his jaw moving down to grip the front of his shirt. Courage unfailing, she pulled him closer.

"Aren't you going to kiss me?" Her question was breathless, but impatient. Chad fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"You wanted a first kiss," His response was heavy and she shivered from his gaze, urging her to be quiet and let him do what he did best. "Just enjoy the moment." Whoever said she was shy about romance needed to be shot for giving him misinformation. Her eyes were shut tight, as if expecting some kind of explosion to happen. He turned his head again until they were nose to nose. "Look at me, Rachel. You don't want to miss it." What 'it' he was referring to even  _he_  was curious enough to know. Kissing had always been a different experience depending on the person.

She did what she was told, bright brown eyes finding inquisitive blue. Her breath caught at how open his expression was. Open and curious and  _safe_. He was no longer laughing, his expression assured and confident. It was breathtakingly impressive.

He didn't wait for her to lose the moment, catching her lips in a chaste kiss. Her body was serenely still and perhaps she lost her breath or possibly that was him. He had expected just a kiss, his own first kiss was clinical and dismissive; the girl he had locked lips with was someone he was ordered to date and watch out for. But this was different. This kiss was less of a necessity and more... for the first time, he just simply  _wanted_  it. A simple desire.

And when he pulled away, she looked like she might fall over, no doubt blown away by his expert kissing skills. He wanted to look smug, but he was anything but; his breathing was labored and he was unable to form words. And all from  _just_  a closed-mouth kiss. He swallowed hard at how desirable she had looked right this moment, her eyes threatening to close with a slight parting of her lips. He forced down his compulsion to kiss her again. "Better?" His voice cracked.

It took her a moment to respond. "Nope." She muttered, pulling him up by the shirt once more. "Do it again." He was completely compelled under her every whim at the moment whether she realized this or not. "Trial and error. You familiar with that, Numbuh 274? You're going to just have to keep doing it until I'm satisfied." His eyes flashed with something akin to excitement.

'Failure' had never been so wonderful.

* * *

Jason was surprised to find that they had returned. "I expected at least a day from you guys not an hour." He took in Chad's suspiciously calm demeanor and then slid his gaze over to Rachel, who seemed to have a similar look to her.

Rachel looked back at him and shrugged. "I've already decided. Sign me up!" When Chad didn't respond, she glanced at him, her pout much more expressive due to his attempts at... trial and error. That gave him the incentive to clear his throat and stare at the wall behind Jason. "Right. I accept."

"Three former Supreme Leaders working together?" Evy eagerly handed them holograms to sign. "I smell a dream team with yours truly being your dispatcher! Welcome aboard Numbers 274 and 362!"

Jason shook his head at Chad, knowing very well what had transpired. He used to be that age, after all. Once Evy began to usher them out to show them the new awesome uniforms that they had just recently ok'd on, Jason lightly punched the younger man on the shoulder. Chad yowled and grabbed his bandaged arm, still recovering from the burns. "Sorry. Well I'll be an old rancher. Number 274 is whipped by the pretty young lady."

"Look who's talking," Chad muttered. "So how long did you oogle at Number 123's behind before she deemed it necessary to knock you out?"

"Hey, I can look all I want. She's my  _wife_."


	24. Year Four - Exploration

**Year Four**  - Exploration

"Easy," Chad warned, fingers pressed hard on the dashboard. The car lurched hard into an abrupt stop that caused his teeth to rattle.

Rachel was shaking, too nervous to take his advice as she normally would. Her grip on the steering wheel was tight, almost to the point of her knuckles turning white. Noticing this, Chad grasped one of her wrists once they reached the stop light. His cool, dry palm lessened the anxiety she was currently experiencing. "S'okay, baby. You're doing good."

And then she flushed, the pet name turning her body rigid again. She was still so unused to the idea of having an actual boyfriend. Could she call him that? They sometimes made out and occasionally went on dates, so that had to count as an actual relationship? Her thoughts were starting to wander again when Chad tried to break the thick silence by messing with the radio, oblivious to her confusion.

Of course, most of the 'dates' was them training in HAWK. With Chad off to college and her too busy taking the Proficient Student Standardized Testing, (or what Fanny called, "PSST, we're gonna fail!") that depended on her graduating next year, that's all they usually had time for. But it was worth it. Chad had completely turned into a different person from last year... from any year she's known him. Maybe it was because he found HAWK to be something of a relief to him. A casual organization that allowed him to take any mission he wanted without being forced to compromise himself in the process.

In any case, this new side of him made her happy. He seemed content.  _Renewed_. When he encouraged her muscle memory in training, his touch was confident and knowing. He had told her that he used to train this exact same way back in the KND and, despite himself, actually enjoyed the mentor role. She could tell in the way his eyes lit up whenever she managed to perform a complicated flip without him being her brace or successfully blocking his attacks every once in awhile. It was like his contributions meant something for himself just as much as the person he was teaching.

That was why she asked him to help her practice for her driving test. "Breathe in," He encouraged, blue eyes warm and full of mirth at how ridiculous she probably looked, hair askew and looking like one touch could have her shoot through the roof. "You drive the car, not the car driving you."

"Right," She managed to say just as the light turned green. He braced himself when she pressed the gas pedal too hard, the engine whining angrily enough to startle her. "Gentle, gentle! I know!" Not wanting to see his amused expression, she wanted to bang her forehead on the steering wheel. But that would be irresponsible.

You should always keep your eyes on the wheel.

Chad pointed to a curb on Baker Street. "Pull over here. We're picking up 100 and 123 here." He tried not to laugh when she ended up actually stopping  _on_  the curb, the car slightly lifted to the right. She spent the next two minutes telling Chad to shut up as his shoulders started to shake until two shadowy figures emerged from an alleyway and entered the car.

"Hello Number 274. Number 362." Rachel looked through the rear view mirror to see Evy and Jason pull off their regulation black hats to reveal their familiar profiles. Evy smiled, her expression somewhat more blatant than Chad's. "You weren't kidding when you said that Rachel was a literal person, Chad. She parked RIGHT on the curb!"

"Shut up." Rachel pouted and put the car into drive. "I'm still learning."

Jason patted the back of Rachel's seat in sympathy. "You doin' better than Number 123. I didn't see any dents on the car so far. Her first time? Crashed right into a flower shop, I'm not kiddin'!"

"I was tailing a rogue villain!" Evy retorted. "He ran into the shop! I was just using all of the available resources at my disposal!" Jason let out a guffaw of laughter.

"Was that before or after he had already surrendered himself to you?" Chad snorted loudly at Jason's rendition of the story. "I remember cartin' the poor sucker and beggin' us not to have you be his transport driver."

That seemed to help Rachel with her nerves because as she started to laugh, the car ride became less jerky in between street lights. It didn't help that Chad was beaming at her every time she looked back at him, pleased that she was learning quickly.

"See? Nothing to it." He smiled encouraging. "It'll become second nature."

"Oh yes,  _Numbuh_  362 was a decent driver," Evy nodded, pulling out her datapad and leafing through it. "She had her own car and everything."

Rachel blinked at the rear view mirror. "Really?" She was so young though...

"Please. We've driven rockets to and from the moon. Possibly farther than 'at." Jason said in a proud Texan slur. "Last time I was Supreme Leader, we was supposed to be in the works for a base out on Titan. Worked out the kinks and everythin'."

"That was discontinued after you left," Chad lightly drawled, seemingly distasteful at the memory. "We were pooling our resources into it the last time I was there but according to TND intel, after the first Moonbase was demolished due to Grandfather, Numbuh 362 had to use Titanbase's resources instead to build a new Moonbase."

Jason swore something fierce along with some sort of southern euphemism for wastefulness before falling silent. " _Thanks_  362."

"Hey!" How could she defend herself when she didn't even remember doing it? Her annoyed pout made the rest of them laugh. "But I...  _she_ thought it was probably a priority, right? We need the Moonbase?"

"The Moonbase is KND's greatest tactical headquarters within this solar system." Evy nodded, her eyes not leaving her datapad. She was always online to HAWK's database which probably explained where she got her number from. Whenever they needed something, she got it as easy as 1-2-3. "Global Command is stationed there and they are singularly connected to every treehouse on Earth."

"Which we've all had a taste of." Jason said proudly. "Well, except for 123 here. She's never tasted the wonders of the Supreme Leader throne."

Evy stuck her nose up. "Which I'm  _glad_  for. I'm sure the seat's gone through enough posteriors as it is."

Jason leaned forward, pressing himself between the two younger operatives. "I'm thinking we should get a cool name for our team. How about Howling Commanders?"

Chad snorted. "I didn't know any of us were infected with the weredog curse."

"I think that's a Captain America reference." Rachel responded dryly. That caused Jason to turn to her, his eyes sparkling with complete adoration.

"Marry me."

"Hey!" Evy kicked her young husband at the same time Chad rolled his eyes and shoved him back into his seat. "You only get to marry once!"

Jason grinned. "Says who?" That was when Evy smiled at him and waved her gun. His smile turned nervous. "Til death do us part. Got it."

"Good boy."

Chad was muttering something about 'whipped' when the front air conditioning system folded itself in, revealing a hidden futuristic panel with a button blaring red. Evy pushed Jason aside to look at it.

"Looks like we got an ATB out!" She said excitedly, leaning forward to press the holographic keys which opened up a digital map. A red dot was flickering to the far right. "Step on it, 362!"

Rachel immediately caved. "S-shouldn't we pull over? I don't think I'm qualified to..."

"No time! Go, go, GO!" Evy urged and Rachel had no choice but to step on the gas. The road didn't have much cars, but she did end up having to slow down to accommodate them. Jason started swearing, attempting to roll down his window to yell obscenities at the slow drivers before Evy had enough sense to pull him away. Chad glanced at the map and then pointed to his right. "Get on the freeway, Number 362."

Forcing down a giant ball of fear in her gut at the idea of ending up on the fast lane, she forced herself to turn the wheel and get on the ramp. "Speed up." He told her, his tone calm in comparison to Evy's bouncing in her seat. Rachel kicked on the gas and the engine roared. If they wanted her to speed, she'll speed. It was HAWK's car after all.

"Try to pass these cars." Chad continued his guidance. Using the mirror tricks he told her, she swerved in and out of cars, trying to ignore the angered honks as she picked up speed. The map got closer to their target, whoever it was. "What if the police try to flag me?" She asked meekly.

"They won't." Jason simply said. And that settled her anxiety a great deal. HAWK must have some pull over the law enforcement or, her conspiracy thoughts led her for a moment, they  _owned_ the police. Shaking her head, Rachel noticed their target not to far off. No,  _two_  targets on a motorcycle.

And they were flanked by Teen Ninjas. She recognized their plating.

"Chad, be a dear and press the camouflage button?" Evy said sweetly, pointing at one of the digital buttons. Blinking, Chad ran his fingers up the panel, pressed the appropriate button and, almost instantaneously, the entirety of the car stretched and bent until it transformed into a dark armored van. "Thank you!" She chirped, putting on her headset. The microphone blinked red and her voice seemed to slur in teenage lingo. "This is TN-45, dude. You rang for backup?"

Much to Rachel's surprise, one of the Teen Ninjas from their bikes turned their head to the side, looking at them through their helmet. Evy was silent for a moment before continuing. "Like, hello? Seriously, if you're not gonna answer, we're just gonna like,  _leave_. We've got  _Scum Bucket Punks_  tickets and we ain't gonna miss this for a couple of Kids Next Door brats!"

Rachel yelped as she dodged a honking truck to stay on track. She turned her attention to Chad as he began to look at her with such a curious expression. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No." Chad seemed thoughtful. "I just didn't know that the Scum Bucket Punks were famous now."

She stared at him in disbelief. "Really? I don't think this is the right time to-"

"Did you know they wanted me to play bass for them?"

"Chad! I'm trying to drive here!"

Evy cut them off with a well placed slash of her hand during her transmission. "… hey!" She piped indignantly into her headset. "That's uncalled for, dude. Like, real uncool. Hey! Don't hang up on me, you stupid...!" Evy tossed off her headphones, her voice professional again. "We've got a problem."

"Renegades I bet." Evy nodded at Jason's correct assumption.

Ever since Chad pulled the rug right under Father, the balance had been thrown out of kilt. Because Chad had yet to enforce himself as the new leader the Teen Ninjas were starting to break up into two factions: those that welcomed the idea of Chad becoming their leader and those that were still loyal to Father. It didn't help that Chad was still a bit reluctant about the idea of taking over.

Rachel's eyes widened as she got closer to the bike, seeing a familiar tangled mess of red hair whipping about out of the escaped passenger's helmet. "Fanny?!"

"What?" Chad snapped his head up and scrutinized the bike. He recognized the driver's stiff stance, having had him on his bike years ago. "What's Fanny and Patton done that's got the Teen Ninjas all wound up?" But Rachel didn't answer, unable to find a valid reason. However, the only thing on her mind was that there was no way in hell the Ninjas were going to get their hands on her friends.

She pulled into first gear. "Hang on!" Rachel yelled, which prompted Jason to finally snap on his seatbelt at her stern look through the rear view mirror. Satisfied, she swerved violently onto the fast lane and slammed on the pedal, forcing the car to catch up bumper-to-bumper. And then she started dialing on the digital keypad, much to everyone's surprise. The blond had always been tentative about the new technology and seeing her attempt it on her own was almost out of place.

The speakers started to ring. "Hello?" A female voice answered, her voice thick with an Irish accent. She sounded extremely terse.

"Fanny..." Rachel glared at the windshield. "What are you doing?" She received a slight nervous chuckle on the other end.

"Well ye know. Me and Patton are on a date. We're trying ta make out, but yer bugging us. Call later?" Chad rolled his eyes at the excuse. Rachel had a similar expression on her face.

"Why are there two Teen Ninjas after you?" She cut through the bull. The line was silent for a moment. Fanny's response was accusatory. "And how do ye know that?!"

Chad cut in severely. "Because we're right behind you." That's when the passenger on the bike turned her head back to look and, after a brief pause, she exploded.

"WHY ARE YOU A TEEN NINJA? IT'S DICKSON, ISN'T IT?! THIS IS ALL YOUR DOIN'! I KNEW YE WERE A BAD INFLUENCE BUT NOOOO, YOU HAD TO GO AND CORRUPT A GOOD PERSON YER VILE SON OF A-" Bless her soul, she was even  _flailing_ on the bike without falling over. Chad palmed his forehead. Evy thought that was a neat trick.

"Fanny." Rachel warned, gripping the steering wheel hard. "We're in disguise." Shaking her head, Evy cut in. "Hello, Numbuh 86! Remember me?"

Another pause. "YE KIDNAPPED RACHEL!" Evy shook her head again. "Well, you're mostly right, but I assure you she's not kidnapped anymore is she?" Fanny swore in response, no doubt distrusting her. Evy continued regardless. "Listen, we've received our intel of what you are running from and we are here to assist."

Jason mouthed, "We did?" Evy rolled her eyes and shoved the datapad into his chest. "Yes we did." Number 123 continued. "Numbuh 60 believed that summer school should be kept in place despite popular opinion and you had agreed with that sentiment. That didn't sit well with the Ninjas, I bet."

"NUMBUH WHAT?" They watched her poke Patton on the back for his attention. He dutifully ignored her and swerved onto the open middle lane. Rachel followed without a missing a beat.

"I'm going to make this short and sweet and to the point," Jason said aloud. "You are Numbuh 86. Your little boyfriend over there is Numbuh 60. You were a part of the collective known as the KND. The reason you don't remember is because you were decommissioned. We are HAWK. We provide asylum to any operative who wish to be neutral. Unless you want to be tagged by the Teen Ninjas until you are caught, I suggest you just take your friend's word for it and come with us."

The silence was longer and, this time, the answer didn't come from Fanny. The voice was smooth and undoubtedly male. "Understood." The line went dead however, when one of the Ninjas slammed hard on the bike's left side, forcing them screech dangerously to the right and exit before Rachel had the chance to follow.

Chad cursed. "Get off on the next exit!" But Rachel was having none of that. Refusing to let her closest friends get caught in the Ninjas' clutches, she sped hard and aimed for an empty car carrier coming up fast. Chad realized the implications of her plan, too surprised to actually consider the fact that she was going to  _jump_  it.

It didn't take long for Jason to understand either. "... Rachel, what are you doing?" But Evy was jumping in her seat again, pumped up for the blond's bravado. He gripped the back of Chad's seat. "HEY, HEY, HEY!"

"Shut up!" Rachel warned over her shoulder, locking into third gear. "Don't make me turn this car around!" Everyone braced themselves when the engine roared and the car ran up the adjacent car carrier's ramp, their right side spitting sparks and letting out an earsplitting screech as they slid against the railing. With a hard turn to the right, the car soared off the freeway.

Jason screamed like a girl. Evy scrambled to the front and pointed quickly at the controls. "Thrusters! HIT THE THRUSTERS!"

Chad punched the holographic button and, much to Rachel's surprise, the car hovered for a moment before landing back onto the road, the landing not as brutal as she had initially thought. The map beeped again and, too much in the moment, she twisted the car into a hard right and managed to somehow catch up to their target.

"Get in front of them if you can!" Evy exclaimed and then began to open up a panel behind Rachel's seat. Nodding, Rachel swerved straight into the opposite lane. Jason paled.

"No, no, no, NO!" Cars honked themselves out of the way as their car started to move past the Teen Ninjas' and Patton's bike, going way over the speed limit. "362... truck. There's a truck! TRUCK-AHHHH!"

They were aiming head-on towards a truck, the high-beam headlights enveloping them. "One more second!" She yelled back, trying to get an opening to swerve back in. Evy's eyes widened and Chad straightened his back, his expression hard.

At the last moment, Rachel rolled the steering wheel to the right, completely dodging the truck by a hair and managing to trail in front of Patton's bike. Evy wasted no time to activate the lift, causing the back doors of the car to open and lower a small ramp for the bike to climb into.

"C'mon!" Evy gestured, her hat on again to hide her identity to the Teen Ninjas. Patton nodded, revved up his bike, and climbed up the ramp, barely fitting into the open van as the doors automatically slammed shut. The English woman turned back to Rachel. "We've got them! Floor it!"

Nodding, Rachel made quick work losing the Teen Ninjas.

* * *

Chad had been uncharacteristically silent throughout the entire ride; at least more so than usual. Evy and Jason gave their two new passengers the customary 'knock-out and drag to the secret base' which Rachel explicitly complained about until they eventually pulled over into the abandoned parking lot. "Standard procedure." Evy chirped happily. "We did that to you guys. Technically."

"How can we forget?" Rachel muttered, glancing at Chad. He said nothing and that made her frown.

"But we got 'em now. They'll be right as rain eventually." Jason muttered, still a bit stunned by Rachel's crazy driving as he and Evy picked up their fainted cargo. But Rachel wasn't paying attention as they shuffled out. Chad remained in his seat, arms folded, and looking directly at the windshield.

She could hear Jason's whine outside of the car. "Sweet Jebus... look at this entire side! S'like a  _shark_  bit into it!" He bumped the side of the car with his two hands to Evy, tracing what was probably extensive damage along the side from when Rachel slammed against the railing to climb up the car carrier. Evy's response was distant and dismissive, probably telling him to grow a pair.

Alone in the car, the strangeness Chad was exuding became acute. Rachel leaned to the side cautiously. "Um...are you-"

"Get out of the car."

She didn't need him to tell her twice. "Okay then." Scrambling off her seatbelt, she quickly climbed out of the vehicle. Chad immediately followed with a very stilted grace. He was probably mad that she went all crazy back there; had almost endangered the lot of them.

And as he stalked around the vehicle to her, she stuttered and raised her hands up in surrender. "Okay... let's not be too hasty! I'm sorry, it just... happen-"

He cornered her and forced her to back up against the car. His eyes were sharp and disconcerting to look at, the pupils unnaturally dilated. Squeaking in fear when he slammed the palms of his hands against the car he successfully trapped her in, it was now obvious he gave her no alternative to escape from his wrath.

And then he kissed her. Hard.

Eyes widening in both confusion and surprise, she made a few small sounds of protest and squirmed against his chest, but to no avail. He was adamant and eventually, she ceased her resistance and fell into his kiss. She had noted, with both satisfaction  _and_ annoyance, how impressive his kisses tend to be. This one, however, was extremely intense. By the time he drew away, the effect of it had turned her into a boneless heap of nothing, gripping his dark uniform shirt desperately to steady herself.

She flushed hard when she noticed Jason and Evy staring from far off, both Patton and Fanny respectively draped over Jason's giant shoulders. Chad simply snorted and pushed off the car to follow them, walking along as if nothing strange had just transpired. The intensity of his gaze had simmered down and he seemed to return back to normal.

"... what the heck just happened?" Rachel muttered to herself, rubbing her lips lightly when she eventually followed. Jason only lowly whistled, grinning from ear to ear as Chad passed him.

"So THAT'S what sets you off, huh?"

Chad had no comment on the matter. Evy, however,  _did_  and smacked Jason's arm. "You never kiss me like that anymore!"

"That's because you always have candy in your mouth!"

* * *

Like Rachel, they couldn't be recommissioned through normal means. Evy was very adamant about protocol, citing the same spiel about how recommissioning was a very delicate process for those who were successfully decommissioned.

"I can't assure either of you will be the same as you were before." This time, Evy had a bright blue sucker in her mouth, sometimes gnawing on it occasionally when they asked questions. "Your personalities back then were dictated by your memories. Sometimes it's inconsequential because the personalities are similar. Other times, your mind may experience... well, we call it a ' _mind break_ '. It's tricky business if your personalities are drastically different. They'll even fight for dominance until one has completely overshadowed the other. But... like I said, we don't administer it until you legally consent. Which, according to protocol, is  _eighteen_. That way, we're not trying to impede on your developing brain anymore than we want to."

Fanny, interestingly enough, raised her hand. "So... yer saying I'm Numbuh 86. Head of Decommissioning?"

"Yup."

Then she pointed at Patton. "And this fool here used to be the Drill Sergeant for a training facility. In the Arctic."

"That's correct." Rachel wasn't surprised when Fanny fell back in her seat laughing. "Oh! That's rich! We're these oooooohhhh super agents who kick butt and save da world from adult tyranny?! No seriously, pull the other one!"

"Fanny..." Rachel sighed. "I know this seems weird but they have to be right! They have our files and everything! And... haven't you ever felt like your childhood was... like how everything seems fuzzy when we try to remember it? This has to be the reason why!"

Sharing a look with Fanny, Patton finally answered. "The Teen Ninjas have been a pain in our side ever since Father lost control of them. I'm starting to wonder who was rattling this chain of command. Was that you guys?" Rachel nodded and Jason blatantly pointed at Chad. "That's all on him."

Chad growled.

"Then I submit my candidacy." Fanny stared at Patton in disbelief, but he waved it away. "Any enemy of the Father is an ally. If you require whatever skills I have in making the community a better place to live, then I'm happy to be of service."

Evy clapped her hands happily. "Great! We could always use a former drill sergeant to speed the training process along! And you'll just love our uniforms!" Jason palmed his face when Evy pinched her black shirt to show them, a small golden emblem of a wing on the left breast. "It's super soft cotton!"

Fanny pinched her face at it. "It's just a shirt?"

"Unfortunately! I'm trying to get our outfitters to start mass producing jackets and stuff. Oh! And you get a hat too!" Pulling off Jason's black hat, ("Hey!" He complained.), she pointed excitedly at a similar emblem on it. "We use it to hide our identity! You have no idea how people take hats for granted!" She tossed the hat back, accidentally hitting Jason on the nose.

Chad just shrugged at him as if to say:  _you married her_.

Sighing, Fanny looked wearily between Rachel and Patton. "Obviously, you two can't manage to protect yer arses without me. So, whatever. If ye can get the Teen Ninjas off my back, I'll join ye. I won't like it though."

"You won't have to do anything if you don't want to," Rachel tried to appease with an apologetic grin. "They let us pick our missions... unless it was life or death or something."

Evy nodded enthusiastically. "Right! This isn't a full time gig unless you want it to be. A lot of us have other jobs... well, some of us do." She took the moment to glare at Jason, who made a face at her. "And families. Like Number 587? Or was it 578? Anyhow, she just had a baby... with three screaming toddlers. We don't see her much, but that's how life is. Our mantra is ' _do what we can, however we can_ '."

"Lovely," Fanny noted dryly. She then pointed at Evy's sucker. "Can I have one?"

Rachel laughed at the expression on Fanny's face when Numbuh 123 actually gave her the one that was in her mouth.


	25. Year Four - Obligation

**Year Four**  - Obligation

He obviously didn't follow through with turning down his football scholarship. Despite the path that was laid before him, education was just another tinge of destiny people refused to have him ignore.

"Your life doesn't end when you become an adult!" Rachel had laughed and successfully stumped him from what was probably a good defense on his part. Probably. Because when those fingers impishly slipped under his shirt, it had somehow ended with him accepting defeat and the consolation prize of ending the conversation for bigger and better things. "Besides," She said after a moment, pausing _everything_  much to his displeasure. "I think college bound guys are extremely attractive."

And well, you can't argue with that.

What his parents did let him allow was which college to enroll into. And of course, the obviousness of his choice had delighted them ever since Jason let it slip that he and Rachel had something going on. Mega Mom and Destructo Dad's excitement was the understatement of the century.

"Son, don't mess this up." His father clapped him on the shoulder while his mother sobbed happily into Rachel's very bewildered arms. "You only meet the perfect girl once! That's why I married your mother!"

"Joy," He drawled, watching Mega Mom attempt to dry her own tears on Rachel's sweater with a mini blow dryer. Rachel glanced at him cheeks flared up in embarrassment. No doubt his mother already planning a wedding that probably would never happen. The thought scared him for real though. Things were already ending up where he hadn't expected. His plan was to be out in space, not go to college and get married like a normal adult.

By the time summer had rolled around, he enrolled in the state college; an hour away from home, two hours away from her. And when he eventually moved out to live on campus, Rachel was determined to at least see him once a week outside of HAWK, sometimes just sitting on the bleachers to watch him practice on the field in his new blue uniform.

His new running back smacked him upside the helmet. "Is that yours, Dickson?" He nodded to the lone young blond girl on the stands. She wasn't paying attention to the field, too fixated on her studying. There were a few books splayed out and she was staring intently at the one in her lap, a pencil absently between her teeth.

Chad glanced at her for a moment before moving into the practice huddle. "Yeah, she's mine." There was an air of possessiveness in his tone, so his running back didn't dare try to insult her. His center, however, was too curious to just leaving the subject well enough alone, whistling lowly and grinning. "She's cute. She in Sigma Alpha?"

"She's a junior." That caused the rest of his team to holler and whoop out loud incredulously, but he knew it was out of camaraderie. Otherwise half of them would already be on their backs seeing stars in the daytime. Rachel had looked up from her book at the commotion, blinking when a few of the players waved at her and wolf whistled.

Chad shook his head and lightly smacked his players into gear. "Alright, that's enough. I'll beat the crud out of each and every one of you if she stops visiting me." That was when the coach whistled for them to start running. Tossing his helmet aside, Chad looked up and roguishly winked at the amused quirk of lips she gave him before he took off around the field like a beast. If she wanted a show, he was more than happy to impress.

* * *

"You waited this long for me? I'm touched," Chad purred, wounding an arm around Rachel's shoulders. He had been pleasantly surprised to find out she was waiting for him outside of the locker rooms seeing as it had taken him an awful long time to get out. He wasn't a shower freak, but his coach was adamant over showing them the new plays he had come up with during the practice run. Walking out sheepish, he had thought that she would be waiting for him in the cafeteria or something. But there she was, patiently waiting underneath the trees.

She wouldn't admit it aloud, but she had always been fascinated by the way he led his football team to victory. He had a calm method and madness to his direction that inspired them to follow. That, and well, Chad was extremely athletic. Watching him run and jump without fail with an extremely athletic physique had no doubt made him popular with the ladies back home. Here in college would be no different. Fanny had given her some very unhealthy advice about that.

" _If he doesn't call you right back, he's doing something behind your back!"_  Or, " _Stake your claim! Pull some hair! Fight! They'll think twice before messing with your man!"_  Rachel wondered faintly how Patton deals with Fanny's trigger-happy temper in their relationship. Err... if they had one. She wasn't exactly sure whether they were just teasing for the sake of it, or dead serious. Quite frankly, she may even not wish to know. She's had quite a few times where she dealt with the vitriolic behavior between each other.

But Rachel was more passive-aggressive, letting her jealousy show in spades by using the good ol' abuse-him-instead system her mom would use on dad on an extremely rare day. She lightly pinched his back. "Well, I'd figure this would be a great time to tour the campus. Visiting you was just an afterthought."

"Ouch. Baby giveth, and baby taketh away." That earned him another pinch. "Ow. Your afterthought is  _sore_ , you know?"

"I'm sorry," She cooed, her words dripping in pure fake honey. "Did that hurt? My poor baby's all sore and tired and I'm being inconsiderate."

His expression twitched at her sugary tone, but he knew better. And she wasn't going to win this round. "Damn straight you are. You should make it up to me." Mildly frowning, she looked up and pondered her next move.

"Hey!" Startled, they turned to find a very curvy young woman in a very tight shirt wave at them and walk over. She had college colored tassels in her hair and strange Greek lettering on her pink shirt. Rachel pinched his back again when she caught him staring at the lettering. That earned her an annoyed glance.  _Passive-aggressive_. "You're the new JV-QB, aren't you?" The woman beamed at Chad and handed him a flyer. "Sigma Alpha is launching a tailgate before your first game! Can you come?"

Chad examined the flyer and coolly shrugged. "Eh, maybe. I'll think about it." The girl beamed at him with a slight flirty quirk of her rouge lips. Rachel rolled her eyes. It hadn't even been two months and  _already_  he had a reputation to uphold. The bouncy initiate this time paused in handing her a flyer. "Are you his girlfriend? I haven't seen you in orientation."

"I'm a senior." Chad raised his eyebrow at Rachel's lie, but abstained from correcting her. The girl mirrored his expression and then made a show of keeping the flyer to herself.

"Oh. Well, sorry but the tailgate's only for college students." Rachel shrugged at the girl's half-apologetic tone when she turned back to Chad. "So yeah, please come! You won't be disappointed because Sigma Alpha never fails to make an awesome party! Thanks for your time!"

"Why'd you lie?" He asked Rachel curiously as the Sigma Alpha woman moved on to the next interested soul. It was surprising how... self-conscious she seemed to look for a minute.

"Because it's probably weird dating a junior?" She shrugged helplessly, holding her proficiency books tight as if someone would take it, see what it was, and then accuse her of being a college student's high school girlfriend. "A junior pear." She added with a pout.

" _My_  junior pear." Chad teased, lightly running his fingers up the side of her golden locks. She had cut it short this time, complaining about management once she started working for HAWK. He had mourned the loss of it, but the way the short strands fit against her angular features, it was almost as if she was made for that look. And she was.

Rachel snorted in disdain, but she fell easily into his touch, her brown eyes soft and affectionate. "I thought you weren't interested in pears."

"I was raised to at least try something first before I knock it." He paused in their walk to capture her lips in a chaste kiss, uncaring who saw or how they felt about it. It was because of her that he was here for the most part. They could either deal with it or get out of his way. She returned the kiss until after a moment when she suddenly laughed and pushed him aside, doubling over and causing a few people around them to figure out what was so funny.

She pulled her hair back. "Oh god. I just realized that what you said sounded bad in context!"

Chad couldn't help but roll his eyes and chuckle. "You are such a teenager."

She finally got enough control of herself when they finally reached the dorm building. "It says no girls allowed." She pointed at the sign with a frown, as if accusing him of setting up the dorms that way. Glaring at the sign for a moment, he pinched the bridge of his nose. He had forgotten about that rule, having just moved in a week ago.

"Right. Well, we can just..." He trailed off when she immediately shrugged a jacket on to hide her chest and then put her hair up into the HAWK-styled baseball cap. "... seriously?"

"Seriously," Rachel smiled mischievously. She'd looked like a very pretty boy if her full lips didn't give it away. Grabbing the front of his jersey, she pulled him into the building. She had wanted to see where he lived and she was more than happy to use her new-found confidence to fuel her determination to get it.

"Alright, who are you and what have you done to Rachel McKenzie?" He asked incredulously, being led to his  _own dorm_. Because the Rachel he knew was much too quiet and innocent to be thinking of actually sneaking into a place she didn't belong.

But he knew better. When she wore the cap, she was Number 362; the closest thing to the original Supreme Leader that they were going to get without her memories intact. "McKenzie isn't home right now. Leave a message after the beep." She teased and playfully pushed him into the elevator. Leaning against him, she didn't wait long before Chad quickly punched in his floor number. And then she  _licked her lips,_  which flared up a hungered look in his eyes as the doors slid shut. "Beep."

It had been embarrassing to explain himself to his dorm supervisor. Apparently rumors began to surface of him being seen making out with an unidentified boy two weeks later.

* * *

The Chad Dickson that ruled his private life was completely different to Number 274's life. While most people would be unsatisfied with such a dual state of personality, he welcomed it. He only had two worlds to live in instead of the usual six or seven. Even he was susceptible to jumbling them up from time to time.

This was something that HAWK considered mandatory and no amount of complaints would change their mind. Father was out of the picture for now and this was a once in a lifetime chance to secure their control over the rest of the adult populace before some other Joe Schmo decided to take over and ruin things even more.

It was Rachel's encouragement that kept him from backing out at the last minute. "You've played the villain before, didn't you?" She had asked him earlier. Her touch had been reassuring, but also firm. She was always a stickler for responsibility. "What's so different from playing it again?"

And she was right. Aggravatingly right. What kept him back was the child in him; whatever was left of Numbuh 274. Even in name, he was becoming the one thing he had never wanted to become. The leader of all of the adult villains? The thought still bothered him even if it meant securing not just a boon for HAWK, but his own private army: an army focused solely on the Kids Next Door.

The typical convention that adult villains usually go to was reserved for him. The fact that it was at this particular venue was what put him on edge. During his days as an operative, the adult convention was the belly of the beast, the lion's den. Going there with a small team to take them out was considered a fool's strategy. Going alone was  _suicide_.

But he did what was considered the impossible once upon a time: he went alone. He sneaked in at the age of eight and rigged an entire sophisticated system of an experimental nacho cheese bomb to take out the entire place. That event soared him to legendary status among Global Command and he became famous.

How ironic that he'd be back here for a different purpose.

Evy dressed him in a suit. A _black_  suit. "I doubt they'd take you seriously wearing your college jersey! Black means business... or a funeral. Let's hope for the latter!" She smiled, fixing his tie. Rachel hovered close by in the van, banned from driving ever since Jason was reinstated as their official leader. Once Jason had parked them into the convention garage, they each filed out in their HAWK uniforms save for Chad.

Rachel couldn't stop staring at him. He frowned at her. "What?"

She held her shoulders up in defense, cheeks peppered in a light blush as she looked away. "You look..." Scrutinizing her for a moment, he finally put two-and-two together. The defensive posture, the blushing, and the staring... he couldn't believe it.

"You like me like this?" Chad exclaimed in disbelief. Rachel simply glanced back at him in answer, obviously checking him out with something akin to extreme interest. He looked very business and very sophisticated. Very in control.

Evy shared the same sentiment, fingers under her chin. "I would  _not_ be adverse to working under you, Mr. Dickson." She purred which caused Jason to honk loudly and scare her.

"Get in and change!" Jason leaned his head out of the driver's side window. Evy snapped back. "I'M COMING, I'M COMING GOSH!" While she climbed back into the van, the muffled sounds of arguing as she shut the van door, Rachel shyly stepped forward and smoothed the non-existing wrinkles of his jacket.

Chad was much too nervous to be amused. "You seriously get off on this?" He had pegged her for having rich tastes, sure, but this was the first he's seen her looking at him like he was an  _adult_. An adult who she was unabashedly showing more than just an innocent interest in.

"You're crude," She sniffed in disdain, but she had yet to retreat her hands, fingers lingering on the lapels of his jacket. "But... you look extremely handsome." Her voice was small, slightly embarrassed. "And I want you to know that I'm behind you on this. One-hundred percent." Locking eyes with him, her expression was much more natural. She nodded firmly. "I know it seems like you're betraying something and I wish I could convince you otherwise. Just know that I'm not against you on this. We're on the same side. Always." She might not have known it, but she was turning into Numbuh 362 every single day. He could see it.

The sincerity of her words seemed to lock something in him and his expression changed. He was more confident and more aware than before. "Thank you." He said, blue eyes soft only for her. "That... helps a lot." He admitted quietly. This new life he was leading so far had the unfortunate side effect of being much more open with his emotions. Without even knowing, she was helping him heal this hate he's garnered up after years of psychological abuse. The stress of being a triple agent that ruled most of his teenage years. Knowing that it was _her_  who believed in him... this was what was calming the operative in him.

Evy finally got out of the van, dressed in an outrageously hilarious pirate getup. They both frowned at her state of dress. "What?" She defended, planting her hands on her hips. Her costume was littered in decorative candy, her own pipe wafting a strange sweet smelling smoke.

"Is that a disguise?" Rachel wondered aloud, but Chad knew differently. "She's a villain." He corrected.

"That's right! Yer lookin' at Sticky Jane!" She leered at them, her smile twisted. "The biggest baddest candy thief this side of America! Ol' Stickybeard's gettin' on with his age. I aim to steal the Sweet Revenge from 'im! It's not a good boat, but an antique's an antique."

"Don't forget Robin Hood!" A sharp Irish voice made them turn. Two more HAWK vans showed up and a lot of costumed villains poured out of them. Showing their support of their new leader. Fanny had joined them, with Patton close by.

He saluted Rachel and Chad in his new HAWK uniform. "Number 60 reporting with your new allies, Number 274!"

"At ease." A strange sense of nostalgia went up Chad's spine when he addressed Patton. Rachel walked over to Fanny and examined her green hoodie. "You never told me you were a villain, Fanny! You've been hiding this from me?!"

She had the decency to chuckle. "Well... I've been Robin Hood before we met, y'know? I just haven't err... but Robin Hood's out of retirement! Here to steal from... from..." Her green eyes widened when she looked at Evy. "Yer... yer... YER STICKY JANE?! Can I have your autograph?! Can I ride the Jolly Rancher?! Please?!" She ran past Rachel to gawk at Number 123, her eyes starstruck. Evy took her celebrity status like a champ, posing for Fanny's camera and signing autographs.

Shaking her head at the girl's antics, Rachel turned back to Chad, who was looking quite apprehensive over the fact that all the villains, both old and new, surrounded him for guidance. "You'll do great, Number 274." She smiled. She wasn't allowed to go with, but she would be watching through a closed circuit.

"He'll be fine." A voice, strangely up-and-down in tone, caused a good number of people to part. An older man dressed as a toilet looked at them with a critical eye. "Hmmm..." He mused. "Yup, he'll do."

Chad wasn't exactly pleased to find himself getting measured up by the  _Toiletnator_ of all people. "... thanks?"

"Lou is one of our best undercover villains," Evy said. Many veteran villains nodded at her words. "He made sure Father and Mr. Boss' plans against the KND didn't go too far. You know his style: he makes a prat out of himself when he could help it. Quite ingenious, actually."

Fanny nodded gravely. "Aye, me dad can be very... excited over his job, I guess."

The Toiletnator stared at Chad for a long moment, his brow furrowed in an uncharacteristic visage of professionalism he's never seen before. "You'll steer us well...  _Father_."

* * *

Numbuh 5 managed to secure a live feed from one of the their undercover operatives infiltrating the participating Teen Ninjas. She looked over her shoulder once their operative gave them a thumbs up to the camera. "Director, we have live feed."

This was Maurice's last year as Director of the TND and yet this was the year that was going to make or break the balance of power. The adult villains were scattered, but both the KND and the TND were unable to take advantage of this. They were much too busy scrambling for their missing agents.

The Retrieval Task Force were finalizing their mission specs to go after Infinity's base of operations. Numbuh 5 was officially at the helm of it, making her personal agenda added incentive to succeed the mission.

And throughout that chaos, he had received a report that Chad, who had disappeared almost completely since his rumored attack in Father's mansion, was taking over the family business. He was going to use his triumph over Father by securing his seat of power.

Maurice wanted to know Chad's intentions. He didn't want to believe that Chad had gone fully rogue. For the people who knew him best, that just wasn't his style. He lived and breathed the KND.

Unless he was really betrayed by GKND. That would prove to be encouraging or problematic depending on what was going to happen at this convention.

The giant screen in front of him went in and out of static before the picture cleared, revealing a plethora of villains of all shapes and sizes loudly complaining to an empty podium. It fell silent, however, when Sticky Jane, Stickybeard's rogue apprentice stepped up towards the podium. Stickybeard and his men howled at her from the side. She snarled at them and tossed a belt filled with taffy at them which they immediately fought over.

"Fellow adult villains!" She raised a fist up, ignoring her arch-nemesis "Father has been successfully thwarted by a new villain; an up-and-coming contender that wants to take over. I suggest you don't anger him. Not unless you want to feel the same wrath that Father did?" The villains fell silent and, with a gesture to the side, a young man stepped up, dressed impeccably in a dark suit.

"Ooooh." The Crazy Old Cat Lady stared. "Snazzy!" The adults around her nodded and murmured in agreement, admiring his new suit.

Abby snorted, but Maurice watched, amazed by how adult looking Chad had become. His features were severe as he almost glared at the crowd. Even his eyes, unnaturally enhanced by the stupefy power his parents bestowed upon him, gave him an almost unsettling edge when he glanced directly at the camera.

"That  _is_  a nice suit," Abby eventually had to admit.

Chad regarded them all silently, no doubt enforcing a thick atmosphere of danger. "Adults..." He purred with a menacing edge. Some of the female Teen Ninjas in the audience were immediately dazzled. "Greetings. Some of you may know me. Some of you don't. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm in charge now. What I say goes." He trailed his words into almost a harsh whisper, forcing the villains to lean forward unconsciously to hear him.

"HA!" One lone villain proclaimed. Everyone faced the Toiletnator, who had decency to look defiant. "The only one who'll lead us is an adult like Father! Not some... teenager just out of high school!"

"AND WHO'S GUNNA LEAD US? YOU? MR. TOILETBREATH?" Fanny sneered from the front. Mr. Boss stared incredulously at his daughter.

"Fanny?!"

She waved at him. "Hi daddy!"

Mr. Boss wiped a tear from his eye. "My little girl, a villain! This is the happiest day of my life! C'mere sweetie!" Fanny jumped into his arms happily.

Chad cleared his throat for their attention, but they weren't having it.

"Well I'm still loyal to Father!" The Toiletnator continued despite some of the villains around him telling him to shut up. "C'mon guys! There's no way this kid beat Father! It was probably a fluke!" That seemed to gain flak because pretty soon, many more started shouting against Chad.

Rachel frowned from her seat inside the van, watching the meeting through the CCTV. "I thought the Toiletnator was on our side!" She exclaimed, waving away the pail of popcorn Jason was offering her.

"Just wait and see." Jason said, cramming more popcorn into his mouth.

This was stupid. Ungodly stupid. Chad gripped the sides of the podium hard, unable to comprehend that all of these people were considered  _villains_. They were  _children_  in comparison to the KND. The operatives were, while lacking in attention span, made up for it in loyalty, never treating their superiors with a lack of respect.

He understood now why a _father_  was needed to command these people.

The air began to crackle and thin throughout the giant room, which seemed to quiet the more perceptive bunch as they stared at him in amazement. The dimmest villains, however, remained oblivious to the rising tension happening on stage, continuing to argue and complain over who was to lead them.

That is until the lights seemed to flicker out and die, leaving Chad the only light source, his eyes glowing dangerously. "I. Said. SHUT! UP!" A rush of cold air and ice enveloped the stage, reminiscent of Father's flame whenever he got angry. Reminiscent enough to cause many people in the front to fall backwards and scramble back in horror as Chad raised a hand and stupefied the entire center of the audience, revealing a giant line of villains encased in ice.

Abby gaped at the screen while Maurice fell back in his seat, unable to comprehend what just happened.

Jason stared at the TV, eyes widened until he let out a low whistle. "Well I'll be danged 'til the cows come home." Goosebumps had raised up in Rachel's arms, causing her to hug herself as she trembled. Jason thought she was experiencing fear.

He was wrong.

There was a veiled excitement in her eyes. She hadn't seen this side of him since Father's mansion. It brought back memories of fear and desperation and power. Jason raised an eyebrow at her, but she didn't register him even being there, her focus solely on the screen.

"Ah. So that's what sets  _you_  off, huh?" He muttered. Those two were bonkers. They were made for each other.

Chad was exhausted, but he didn't show it. It was at this moment that he wished he actually started practicing with the manifesting of the stupefy ability. He had neglected it, too much displeased that he had it in the first place. Never again.

He lowered his hand, ever the visage of calm against the sea of terrified faces. With a morbid sense of triumph, he had managed to even stupefy the Toiletnator during his outburst to annihilate everyone in that path. With a snort, he snapped his fingers and they were freed, blinking and wondering what had just happened to them and then finding Chad's lips curl into a sneer.

"Now..." He began, his voice was a haunting tremble, toying with them. "... who's your daddy?" Everyone, including the Toiletnator, pointed at him immediately. His smile turned wolfish. "Good villains. I'm going to lead you all in destroying the Kids Next Door. Your previous Father was a hack. A wimpy, pathetic piece of shadow who couldn't launch an assault to save his life. Nothing like Grandfather." Many of the villains shivered at the name.

Chad continued, straightening his tie with a grace like he hadn't just iced half of his men a minute ago. "Father was never a Kids Next Door operative. By a fluke, maybe, but nothing else. I was once the Supreme Leader. A _legit_  Supreme Leader. The greatest operative there ever was. It's only fair that I return the favor to those brats." He looked upon each of them, confidence in his tone. "Join with me and I'll make sure you become less like the jokers you are. Your names would be too fearful for kids to even  _utter_."

That seemed to rile up the villains, nodding to themselves and pumping their fists to him. "The Kids Next Door better watch out." He sneered at the camera. "Because the kid gloves are off. Now you'll contend with a  _real_  villain."

That seemed to be directed at Maurice. At least, he thought it did. Abby folded her arms, her features stern. "Numbuh 5 don't like this, Director. Not one bit."

"I can't believe this!" Jason gaped at the screen, popcorn falling out of his mouth. "The son of a gun actually seems... are we sure he's a good guy?" Because when he wants to be evil, he did it  _real_  well.

Rachel had no comment on the matter, her breathing slightly labored.

They were chanting his name, calling him  _Father_  now. Chad stood back, looking delightfully smug as the villains pledged their undying loyalty to them.

He just hoped that what he had done will make a difference. The benefit of the KND at the cost of his loyalty.


	26. Year Four - Dragnet I

**Year Four**  - Dragnet I

Maurice watched as Abby sized up every single operative hand picked for the siege on Infinity's base. There were only a handful chosen: the best in intelligence, tech scientists, and weapon disarmers they had at their disposal. It was well known that the GKND were technologically superior in every way. The only way to combat them was through countermeasures and old fashioned stealth.

Abby, much to his surprise, wanted to join the medic team instead of the distraction team. "I can work circles around these guys," she had told him. "I know my way around a scalpel. My dad's a doctor after all." He had forgotten. She had told him at one point about her aspirations of becoming a doctor when she was an adult. He had simply taken into account that because she's had a leadership role in the past, she was going to dictate the old fashioned way by fighting. That wasn't the case.

He nodded when she looked up at him and nodded back before returning to her squad to go over the first tactical wave. Despite the fact that the mission was underway, there were more reports from Moonbase asking for the missing operatives. He had declined answering until now, using Chad's former method of considering everything 'classified' much to his own annoyance. But this was a sensitive matter that the TND had kept secret ever since they cut ties with the GKND. They didn't want Infinity catching wind of a confrontation, not when they were still technically tied to the KND's science division.

Reluctantly, he started to type up a very shallow report that probably wouldn't suffice Global Command but he had no choice. Lots of things were riding on this mission. Six months may have been far too long to prepare, but it was the best they could do on such a short notice.

Maurice paused from hitting the send key, hearing something shift from behind his chair. Eyes narrowed, he slowly moved his hand underneath his desk, finding the comfortable steel of his weapon.

A half second later, he twisted in his chair to fire at the intruder only to yowl in surprise as a numbing sensation enveloped his armed hand, the force of the attack slamming him back against his chair. Gaining back his bearings quickly, he found his entire hand was frozen in ice.  _Ice_  that stupefied the limb. "Father." He growled at the shadow emerging from the light of his desk lamp.

"I prefer  _Number 274_ ," The voice had an undercurrent of anger. Chad stood in the light, looking menacing in his dark suit. He placed his hands coolly in his pockets, his eyes unnaturally lit with power... and annoyance. "You screwed me over."

Maurice glared at him. "You screwed me over  _first_." And then he raised up his stupefied hand. "What's wrong, Chad? Can't take me down without using that ability? So much for being the best operative." That set Chad off, energy flaring for a moment before he strangely enough, calmed down.

"Whatever." Chad tossed a datapad at him, which the Director caught with his free hand. "A gift from Mother."

"... from Mother?" Maurice glanced at the datapad and his eyes widened. They were the coordinate codes and password encryption keys into Infinity's base. "Why now?" If Chad reported to Mother now, that meant that he was on the same side wasn't he?

But it also meant that Infinity did something incredible to cause Chad to defect from them. And to get Chad to defect after all the trials and tribulations he's done for them? It had to be near fatal. "It isn't obvious?" Chad growled, half of his profile returning to the shadows. "There  _are_ villains who have kids in the KND, you know." This wasn't an battle of the ages this time. This was a human issue.

That was when Maurice put two-and-two together. "So you've allied with HAWK, have you?" The TND reported to Mother too, to an extent, but HAWK was her secret service equivalent. If Chad becoming the new Father was due to Mother's part, she had honestly made a very good call. Daring, but good.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Chad dismissed him smoothly, fixing his cuffs. Whatever he was doing, Maurice had to admit that he did the villain angle really well. "I suppose this means you owe me a favor now."

"Depends on what I _owe_. Because I'm not stopping the plan." Maurice responded sharply. "We're going to get those kids back-"

Chad cut him off. "I don't care how you do it, Numbuh 9, that's not my problem. Mother, however, is. And she's certain that you're going to fail without some extra... insurance." His expression twitched at the idea. "Let HAWK deal with the distraction team. They're better equipped. They're expendable."

While the hearing the idea of something being 'expendable' didn't sit well with him, Maurice was relieved to find that it wouldn't be his teenagers at a high risk in comparison to having the adults do it. If Mother wanted to help lessen the stress of his operatives during this mission, he was happy to take whatever she was willing to give. "I take it that's not  _one_ favor."

"Nope. Whatever technology you manage to scrounge goes to HAWK." Chad continued calmly. "And the children you manage to secure goes to our facilities for care. You know they've been experimented on. Let us deal with them."

Maurice frowned. "But the families-"

"-will be informed. Did you forget that this is Mother we're talking about?" Chad raised an eyebrow. "You know about the lengths she would go to protect her children." Maurice reluctantly nodded. "Good Director."

"Hold on," Maurice said, catching Chad before he disappeared completely into the shadows. "For what it's worth... you know I did what I had to do. The KND..."

"I know." Chad simply said. "We've all got our roles to play."

Suffice to say, the stupefaction didn't leave Maurice's hand for a good hour.

* * *

The distraction team wasn't the only team HAWK was sending in to help the Retrieval Task Force. A secondary team, separated in two, would be launching their own investigation while Infinity would be busy searching for a combination of Maurice's agents, unbeknownst that HAWK was lurking in the shadows during that time.

"It's our first orders from the top!" Evy squealed happily to compensate the dip in temperature of the room. Ignoring her very silent comrades, she continued the debriefing, launching a hologram of Infinity's base. "C'mon guys, it's from Mother herself! This is exciting!" No one even cracked a smile. Pursing her lips, she huffed and smacked the palm of her hand with her pointer stick. "Fine, fine. Be serious beavers. Jeez."

Rachel was nervously brushing her lap, her outfit extremely dark and much more tighter than usual. It was made for easy movement, the fabric stretching with her when she did a practice run with Patton earlier in the week. Her eyes slid over to the young man across the table, his features drinking in Evy's debriefing with an intensity she had seen him use whenever she visited his JROTC drill events. Even if he was still debating on the whole memory thing, she knew that he had to admit there was something nostalgically familiar about doing this; being these battle-capable operatives once upon a time.

Patton eventually caught her gaze and nodded in acknowledgement before turning back to the debriefing. Hurriedly nodding, she returned to focusing on Evy words, a bit relieved that Number 60 was going to join her group as the infiltration team while the rest of them dealt with actual battling. If there was anyone else other than Chad she could trust, it was Patton or Fanny.

Speaking of the red head, Fanny had left earlier with the secondary distraction team, but she didn't go without giving her friends a few choice words. "I'mma gunna kill you if you botch this up!" She had whirled at Patton and poked him hard on the chest. She looked even more psychotic when her weapon enhanced uniform made her look like she was the offspring of Jason Bourne and  _Rambo_. "An' if I hear that you made googly eyes at Number 362, I'mma gunna kill you for that too!"

"I'll try not to." His response was dry and so serious, Rachel had to double-take to make sure that was a joke. But they just continued to look at each other and then, for a brief moment, Fanny smiled and Patton's eyes slightly wrinkled in humor before they dispersed. The blond now sincerely wished she was with Fanny so she could explain herself because she was pretty sure Patton would have no comment on the matter. He and Chad seem to share that somewhat irritating policy on not divulging their personal lives in front of others if they could help it.

She hasn't seen Chad in the last two weeks, but she didn't hold it against him. Becoming Father and a college student? She winced at the idea. It didn't help that every time he managed to find an opening to see her, she was either busy with the PSST practice classes or picking up on a HAWK mission someone had to abandon at the last minute. It had come to the point where the only time they could contact each other was through text or phone call (if they were lucky).

And, well, she  _missed_  him. Her communicator rolled between her hands on her lap, unconsciously waiting for a responding text that never came. She inwardly sighed and forced herself to pay attention to directions that she has had memorized six times over.

"You have your orders," Evy finally concluded. "Infiltration head to dock 11 for further detail regarding space faring protocols. Please remember that the base is suborbital so take into account of possible expulsion into space if the enemy catches wind of you. If they're anything like scifi villains from the telly, I bet they would  _really_  love to shoot you out of airlock." She popped her gum morbidly. "Once you reach dock 11, the coordinator will direct you by number for your appropriate post. Dismissed and good luck!" Saluting them, Evy allowed the large group of operatives to leave the debriefing room and end up pretty much squashed in the lone elevator leading to dock 11.

Surprisingly, once the doors opened, the dock was already full of operatives. Rachel's eyes widened at the massive scope of volunteers as she followed Patton to their designated roll call, wondering if this mission was as dire as she initially thought.

It was Number 23 that yelled out the roll call, a girl who Rachel had heard joined HAWK due to her parents' involvement. She had only talked to her once, learning that once upon a time, she had given orders to the girl when she was Supreme Leader. "Number 229: Infiltration Beta, shuttle 53! Number 60: Infiltration Omega, shuttle 56! Number 362: You have been grounded, please remain on base! Number 76..."

Patton traded glances with her, unsure whether to head to the shuttle without her or figure out what was going on. Rachel stared up at Number 23 in disbelief and then waited until she was finished off rattling role before confronting her. "I'm supposed to get on shuttle 56 with Number 60, Number 23!"

Virginia continued to walk to her next destination, forcing Rachel to keep up with her. "Nope, my data's never wrong." She showed her the datapad, the blond's dossier marked for 'docked'. "Sorry, Number 362. If there's a problem, contact your team leader for more information."

Rachel stopped in her tracks, an anxious frown on her features as Number 23 went to the next group to send them off. Patton stopped close behind. "Did Number 100 change his mind?" He asked calmly, trying to defuse his friend's shaking of both anger and fear that she might get left behind.

"No, but I think I have an idea who," She eventually said, her expression dark. "Head to the shuttle, Number 60. I'll be there momentarily."

"Understood."

* * *

Everything was busy and crowded on deck 14, seeing as they would be the next to leave. Rachel didn't see Fanny around, but she was probably on route already. She wasn't her destination, however. She found Chad with the secondary distraction team, overseeing the villains being ordered to the appropriate shuttles for disembarkation. He was in his orbital uniform already and pointing out orders to a few operatives before he did his rounds. Rachel had to bitterly admire the way he carried himself giving out orders before catching him while on route to the docked tier 2 stealth ship.

"We need to talk," She caught up to his side, her stride clipped and irritated as she struggled to keep up with him. He didn't bother to look at her, too busy writing into his datapad. But she knew that he knew she would find him about this. Only this time, she wasn't going to let him get away with it like he had hoped. "Number 274!"

"Yes, what is it Number 362?" He responded tersely, rounding on her, but she wasn't deterred.

She glared up at him. "Why did you ground me from this mission?"

This time, he stood up straighter, giving her his full attention. "You were not adequate for this mission. This is a high-stakes mission that is time restricted and-"

"Were you not my PT during my muscle therapy?" She challenged, lips pressed into a thin line when he reluctantly nodded. "Did you not recommend me for a  _'high-stakes'_  mission candidacy roster a few weeks ago?"

"I did."

"And yet, you allowed Numbers 86 and 60 on this mission despite the fact that I was in this organization longer than them?"

Chad considered her carefully, his expression blank. "Are you insinuating that I'm giving preferential treatment to your subordinates-"

"-no, I'm  _insinuating_  that you're keeping me grounded with you on the fact that I'm your  _girlfriend_." She interrupted, her words terse. "That better not be the reason, Dickson." He had the decency to slightly roll his eyes and look away, obviously trying to think of a way out that would be neither in his favor nor preferable. She could tell by the way his brow was slightly furrowed and his glance was distant. But she wasn't going to let him dock her just because of personal reasons.

That was when one of the operatives cut in. "Number 275 reporting. Shuttle 67 is awaiting you, Number 274." With a nod, the scientist disappeared towards said shuttle and Rachel snapped at Chad.

"You're going on this mission?!"

Realizing that he was on a ticking time bomb, Chad attempted to walk away. "You already know about my previous loyalty to the GKND. If anyone's going to lead the Alpha team, it's me."

"With the science operatives?"

"That's classified." He uttered dismissively.

"And you're just leaving me behind?" Undeterred, Rachel growled as he started to walk away. "What do you think Numbuh 1 would do?" She demanded, which caused him to pause. His spine stiffened at her words. Realizing a nerve was hit, she used that to her advantage and continued anyways, hurt and angry over what he had done. "Do you think  _he_  would have left me grounded?"

Chad refused to admit to himself that those words had stung him. He slowly turned around and saw that she had paled, possibly gaining something from the cold look on his face.

Sense returning to her, Rachel shook her head. "I'm sorry... no, I'm not sorry! I don't even... I don't even know what I'm sorry for!" She ran her fingers through her hair hard, frustrated beyond belief. All she knew from his dossier was that his animosity between this Numbuh 1 boy was personal and she had used it in defiance. It was... uncalled for. But for what reasons, she didn't know. He had been adamant against talking to her about Nigel Uno. "All I know is that I need to prove to you that I can do this mission the way I was trained, Chad! The way Numbuh 362 operated! I can do it without her memories. I  _can_."

He regarded her frustration in silence, unbeknownst that he was doing it with an insufferable bout of maturity. The mission was bound to go wrong at some points and, quite possibly, his impulse to take her off the roster was left over remnants of his duty to protect her. But in doing so, he was denying her what she wanted: becoming Numbuh 362 again.

The fact that she was more than willing to deride him on this was what prompted Chad to consider her as more than a decommissioned operative.

With an inward sigh, he pulled up his datapad and changed her mission dossier. "Your shuttle hasn't left yet. You better hurry before they leave without you." Rachel snapped her head up at his words, unsure whether this was a good thing or a bad thing that she had gotten through to him.

"Chad..." She moved to grab his jacket when he tried to turn away, her expression guilty. "I didn't mean..."

"I know." Chad said softly. There was a pause. "Number 60's on your team?"

Rachel nodded. That settled his fear a little. "Good. Stick with him." Accepting that as a decent compromise, she made sure no one was looking before leaning forward to brush her lips against his cheek.

"Be careful, 274." She muttered into his ear before pulling away to double time it to the elevators.

He watched her until she completely disappeared back down to deck 11 before following his team to the shuttle. What would Numbuh 1 do? He was worried that he may even be  _on_ the base.

* * *

"All teams, this is Numbuh 5." A voice cackled in and out of the speakers of their shuttle. Rachel looked up at it, the voice being familiar. "Approaching base coordinates. If you see an unidentified shuttle, hail them before shooting. They could be our distraction team. I repeat, hail first before shooting. Our distraction team will be manned by adults, so do not fire if they are. Retrieval teams standby for further announcements. Numbuh 5 out."

Her leg began to shake nervously. Patton looked down at it which caused her to pause and grimace in embarrassment. While everyone seemed to be as cool as a cucumber, she was shaking like a leaf. But Patton simply nodded at her, his words only she could hear amidst the very crowded shuttle.

"Don't worry about it." He told her. "I'm nervous too."

That caused her to look up in surprise. "Are you?" He nodded again. "How come you don't look like it?"

"I don't know." He answered truthfully. "Maybe it's because of ROTC, or maybe it's the muscle memory. All I know is that we won't be engaging in any enemies if we can help it, Number 362. We get in, extract the hostages, get out. You can do this. You were  _born_ to dothis."

She smiled gratefully at her other best friend, finding strength in his words. "You're right. I  _can_  do this. I've been training for this."

Chad was the only battle-capable operative in his shuttle; the rest were occupied by HAWK scientists. Their mission was completely different from the rest. While the extraction commenced, he would be leading them deep into the heart of the base for something more than a bunch of infected children.

They were going to extract something vital for Mother, something that not even HAWK knew about.

But most of all, he was hoping to find Infinity. He was looking for revenge.

Back on Earth, Maurice watched Abby's progress on the vid screen, a large group of operatives also doing the same wherever they could. He watched as Abby's shuttle reached the coordinates and stared at how massive the base was. How they haven't discovered it until now was what stumped him. It wasn't just a base. It was a  _space station_  for all incoming and outgoing ships.

Their best stealth ships, even HAWKs', dwarfed the colossal station in comparison; the adjacent shuttles just tiny little pin pricks against the backdrop of advanced technology. But he wasn't the only one who yearned for whatever technology lurked within. From another location on Earth, an elderly, but spry looking woman looked up at the monitor, gently ignoring those that came to her with reports.

Her heart was heavy and she brought her wizened fingers close to her chest, praying a swift and victorious run for her children's safety.

"Mother.  _Operation: DRAGNET_  is now in effect."

**Desperate**

**Rescue**

**Against**

**GKND's**

**New**

**Enigmatic**

**Technology**


	27. Year Four - Dragnet II

**Year Four** \- Dragnet II

Both HAWK and TND's secondary distraction team was composed of their best pilots and weapon specialists. They were living up to those high expectations. Rachel and Patton watched from their shuttle as Fanny's team engaged in battle with the base's forward batteries, darting in and out of beams with an almost artistic ease as they silently used the distraction to get close to the kinetic barrier without detection.

"Good luck, Fanny," Rachel uttered that caused everyone else in her shuttle to murmur the same. The other infiltration team ahead of them, they waited until the barrier codes were inputted and entered. Part of the shield suddenly dissipated for them and their movements slow and deliberate as they searched for an open dock.

It was nerve-wracking how silent space was. Watching the offline weapon systems with great trepidation, she finally let out a breath when they docked and waited for orders. Their tech specialist locked their shuttle and started to hack the docking station and trick the base into believing their shuttle was friendly.

"So far so good, team. Locking down friendly fire commands now." He said while their team leader stood up to address them.

"As the second infiltration team, we are to go in and provide additional help while the TND's team attempt to locate and retrieve their captured operatives." Number 777 regarded them severely. "I want no cowboy attempts, you hear me? Our second objective is to make sure their infiltration team doesn't see a smidge of a conflict. If there are enemies inbound,  _we_ engage them. No ifs, ands, or buts."

The group nodded at her before she continued. "Now, while Number 209 works on opening the hatch, we'll go over protocol regarding potential space hazards. Make sure your anti-gravity suits are functional in case of any gravity malfunctions within the station. Make  _sure_  your oxygen provisions are full and functioning. I cannot stress how important this is. If you are suddenly spaced, you only have minimum thrusters to return to your designated shuttle. This is worth spit if you're low on oxygen. You  _will_ die."

Taking a deep breath, Rachel held onto her helmet as the woman continued her checklist of protocols and then followed when Number 777 put on hers. She continued to talk, but no sound was uttered, prompting Rachel to turn on the helmet's radio.

"Raise your hand if you can hear me? Good? Good. Keep your helmet on until 209 gives you the clear that there's oxygen on deck. You know your objectives and I'm not going to hold your hand about it like 123-"

"Ma'am!" 209 turned from his perch near the door. "Connection tunnel is locked. I can open the base's hatch from here, but the shuttle is still disconnected. It'll take time for me to hack open the tunnel." 777 cursed under her breath, then turned to her group.

"Everyone prepare thrusters and anti-grav boots. We're going spaced. And Number 209, I want that tunnel connected to us by the time we get back! Unless you want us to start tossing bodies out of airlock into space, you better get it moving!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Patton glanced at Rachel through his helmet as 777 ordered them into a very small airlock to prepare for a manual dismount. "Are you scared?" He asked her through the two-way radio. She startled when the airlock hatch opened. Number 777 and two operatives already jumped out into open space, a giant white structure ahead and nothing but the vastness of space.

She answered Patton's question by jumping next, soaring the distance between the shuttle and the base. It was horrifying. It was crazy.

It was  _amazing_.

Rachel glanced down as she got her rocket boot thrusters on, helping her maneuver in the weightlessness of space. She looked down and saw Earth down below and her heart began to beat hard in her chest, hearing absolutely nothing but her quickened breath and the rapid beating of her heart. It was like she was floating between heaven and earth.

Number 777 was beckoning to her from the open hatch of the base. Nodding, she sped up and reached for the woman's outstretched hand, gripping it tightly until she was pulled all the way in and her anti-gravity boots locked securely on the floor with a heavy click.

Patton was much faster than her, not exactly interested in admiring the fact that he was flying in space as he joined them not a second later. As the last of the six operatives made their way through the disconnected hatch, they waited as their second techie began to force open the locked door with a strange electronic device.

"Can't this stupid thing go any faster?" 777 growled at the techie, her boot tapping impatiently on the metallic walkway. But the techie shrugged her off, no doubt used to her manic antics.

"Give it a moment, will you? This is a real difficult encryption. Quite ingenious actually. For every algorithm correctly inputted, the secondary cache gets diffi-"

"We're not here to admire the way they lock their bloody doors!" She snarled. "If you're in love with it, take it with you or something!"

The techie sniffed indignantly. "Already  _have_." He showed them how his device was saving the algorithms while the doors swished open. Shaking her head, 777 took the lead as they reached a very unnatural chamber.

Rachel blinked up at all the glowing circuitry and pipes running in and out of the corridor. Looking down, she could see they were on a giant platform, but she couldn't figure out what everything around them was.

And she wasn't the only one. Number 777 gaped and then brought up her wrist. "Alright. Utility Watches out everyone." It was a new device that was GKND inspired that had finally been inputted into their gadget list. Evy said they had Chad to thank for such a device. Lifting her wrist, Rachel pressed a button which synced holograms with the rest of her squad. A blue hologram of the interior of the base illuminated above her wrist.

"Looks like we're in some sort of cargo hold. Which is  _exactly_  where we should be." Their techie said and then drew a red line with his finger around certain parts of the map. The line automatically updated on her own hologram. "There are two ways to get to TND's infiltration team. One through the corridors and another through the service tunnels."

Number 777 ordered them to split into two. She took two operatives with her for the corridors and left Rachel, Patton and their techie to deal with the tunnels. "There's going to be resistance where we're going. So Number 362 will head this team through the tunnels while we engage any opposition. That won't be a problem, will it?"

Rachel quickly shook her head and stood in attention. Being the most limber of them all, she knew she was bound to be the one clearing all the jumps and scaling to make sure her team got to the rendezvous point in one piece.

"Good. Head out and good luck."

* * *

As soon as the distraction team managed to bypass the kinetic barrier with a well placed energy cannon, Fanny whooped and screamed for joy as she physically flipped off the shuttle with her team and landed in the main carrier hold, rolling behind a grate as incoming fire zoomed over her head. She watched as their shuttle quickly scattered off to provide aid with the rest of their ships.

Number 100 joined her on the trench, his weapon raised up as he peered over the crate. He yelped as he dodged from a shot fired. "I can't tell what we're shooting at! Automatic security turrets?!" He wasn't sure and he didn't have the time to look without having a hole burned through his head in the process. He'd rather not risk that.

"I dunna care. So long as I see da metal of it's eyes, I'm shootin' it!" Number 86 squealed happily and marked her position, finger on her headset. "Distraction squad to command! We're bein' pinned for now, but yer good ta go!" Her response was so joyful, the person on the other end had to pause to make sure he was hearing correctly.

Jason gaped at her. "I don't think being pinned is a good thing, 86!"

She grinned devilishly. "Maybe for you!" Pulling out the pin from her flash grenade with her teeth, she tossed it overhead and, after a moment, a bright explosion enveloped them.

"Remind me to thank Mother that she's on our side!" Number 23 yelled from another position behind an inoperating panel. Fanny's grenade had managed to give them the tactical edge. Her team looked past the ringing glare of white light with their helmets and start positioning their rifles to await movement.

Fanny was the first to aim at the first thing through her scope and her breath caught in her chest. "WHA-" She yelled. "WHAT IS THAT?! HEY!"

Jason looked at her incredulously but, seeing her paled expression, looked through his own scope. His eyes widened. "Oh my god... I repeat, OPEN FIRE!" He waved down the rest of his squad and they dutifully emerged from behind their barricades to shoot.

_Command to Distraction! What is going on?!_

Fanny mercilessly shot her gun in rapid succession, ignoring the radio signal. Jason swallowed and pressed the side of his helmet.

"They're-" But whatever Command tried to get from the comm, it went dead.

* * *

The service tunnels were, ironically enough, only meant to carry child-like bodies throughout the structure.

But Rachel had yet to find an obstacle that she couldn't compensate for, ordering her team of three to take detours and shortcuts in order to fit in places they couldn't naturally get through. She checked her Utility Watch again, making sure they were in the right direction.

"The temperature around this vent is rising, Number 362," Patton noted behind her. The crawl through the ducts wasn't exactly a comfortable thing and even Rachel could feel the heat through her fireproof suit.

Their techie coughed from behind Patton. "We might be near the warp core. Best we can do is stay clear of that. There's only so much radiation our suits can tolerate." Rachel nodded at that, suddenly afraid that she wasn't taking into account of all the potential hazards. Thankfully, Patton was there to encourage her.

"No, we shouldn't be by the warp core. The map says it's five decks below us." He checked his map, mildly ignoring the temperature gauge in his helmet rising until it started blink angrily at him in warning.

Rachel, however, couldn't afford to ignore her suit. She looked up at the overhead and caught sight of a very alien looking camera silently watching them. Her helmet's interface noted that an alarm was raised. "They're raising the heat!" They must have been spotted. That was when their techie began to panic.

"Then let's get out of here!" He cried out as steam started rise from the metal. Wasting no time, they began a mad crawl through the shaft, trying to valiantly ignore their suits telling them that suit damage was imminent if they didn't get out soon.

Their methods were sloppy and hurried as they slid and crawled until they had no choice but to miss the rendezvous point and get out early. "Hold on... there!" Finding a sealed vent door, she quickly crawled toward it, her body now breaking into a sweat as the heat began to bypass their suits.

The passage was too narrow to allow the techie to go through, so he uploaded his unlocking tool to Rachel's Utility Watch and she immediately set to it, a holographic combination interface beginning to work automatically with the lock.

"C'mon, c'mon!" She hissed, waiting for the program to unlock it. Patton started to tense and shift from behind her, but even his relentless patience was growing short. Their techie began to panic far down the back, which panicked Rachel enough to develop an extreme case of claustrophobia.

"It's getting hot in here!"

"I KNOW!" She didn't need to be given a play-by-play, the suit's interface blinking angrily of the temperature rising. The metal shaft around them was slowly turning red.

"Rachel..." Patton muttered.

"I KNOW." Her arm began to shake as the unlocking tool continued it's job and finally, one lock clicked open. Heart caught in her throat, she realized there was no way they would get the rest of the locks open before they were incinerated. "Move back!" Folding herself in such a way that neither Patton nor the techie could ever be limber enough to attempt, she manipulated her legs forward until her boots were pressed against the door. She ignited the rockets and the white hot heat quickly melted the metal.

With a frustrated cry, she kicked the door once, twice, three times it bent until she put all her strength into the fourth kick. The door finally gave way with a muted smack and they managed to slip out onto the floor below.

Patton was the first to compose himself, his suit's alarms finally subsiding into normal levels. Steadying himself for a moment, he crawled over to Rachel, who looked like she might hyperventilate from the stress. "Good work, Number 362."

Rachel shivered in response, centering herself. This was the first time she'd ever had someone's life in danger by her account.  _Two_  lives to boot. She eventually looked over and found that both Patton and the techie were safe, if not a bit shaken up. Well, the techie was. Patton was just as calm as ever. Nodding, she took one last deep breath and got to her feet. "Are you alright, Number 30c?"

"I'll live," Kenny brushed himself off. "I'm just not used to that much heat."

The comm began to beep from Number 777. Making sure they were fine once more, Rachel pressed a finger to the side of her helmet. "Infiltration Zeta to Omega, do you read?" Both Patton and Kenny immediately spreaded out while she took the call, weapons out and flanking her now that they were out in the open.

_We've lost contact with the distraction team. We're going to rendezvous with them and see if they need aid. All corridors are clear. It looks like only the station is armed. Hurry and rendezvous with Numbuh 5 and get those kids out!_

She flickered her gaze over to Patton's turned back, his spine rigid at their leader's words. She was worried about Fanny too.

"Yes ma'am." Rachel responded and closed the comm. She didn't know what to say to console Patton. Opening her mouth, the only thing she could tell him was to finish their mission. "Let's get those kids, Number 60."

"Understood." He simply said and, with a nod, Rachel entered the first corridor first. "Hey!" Kenny yelled.

She jumped and turned, weapon drawn, only to find what Kenny was yelling about. The door behind her was raised up in a red kinetic barrier, separating her from her team.

This, added with the fact that Fanny's team had gone silent, finally seemed to cause Patton to snap. She took a step back in surprise as he tried to bodily force his way to break the barrier, paused, and then used the butt of his rifle to concentrate the force with a roar of frustration. Kenny followed and examined the barrier with his Utility Watch. "Someone put up the barrier. We won't be able to short circuit it unless we find the power grid it came from."

But Patton wasn't deterred and continued smash himself against the translucent wall until she raised her hands up against the barrier in attempt to calm him. "Number 60, relax. It's _okay_." He paused, but only after he tried a few more times. "Listen, follow Omega team's initial path to the rendezvous point. Take that route and I'll meet you there." Reluctantly nodding, Patton gave her one last look before quickly disappearing to the next corridor. She nodded at 30c before he too turned around to follow 60.

She was on her own now. Taking a deep breath, she turned away from the barrier and focused on the mission before her.

There was no other way but to move forward.

* * *

Chad hadn't expected to hear that Fanny's team had gone dark, but there was nothing to be done at the moment. She was with Number 100 and the others. They could handle themselves and, unfortunately, their silence meant someone was keeping them busy and giving them time to launch their own cyberwarfare against the base.

The main corridors had very little agents. Agents that Chad had to admit, he had hardly seen. Perhaps the base was built to accommodate more Earth agents, he did not know, but his time here had always been alone walking through these corridors. Sometimes he was with Infinity, but he had found no one when he had walked these halls. Just cameras.  _Many_ cameras.

Coming across one of them, he shot it down at an angle before allowing the scientists to follow. It was eerie how quiet and calm the interior was in comparison to the loud explosions they had flown past out in space. Maybe it was just Infinity who lived here alone.

He pressed a finger to his ear, disengaging his helmet to conserve oxygen. "All teams, status report!"

It was quiet for a moment until Number 777 answered first. The connection was very broken.

_Inbound to distraction team's location. Taking heavy fire! The team still hasn't responded to hai-! 362 missed rendez-! Still inbound!_

The line clicked dead. Forcing down the chill that was running down his chest, he had to continue on to the central chamber. She swore that she could handle herself. He had to trust her on this. It was what Numbuh 274 would have done for her.

But Numbuh 274 hadn't been involved with Numbuh 362. That was the problem.

No, that wasn't the problem. Numbuh 274 wouldn't have cared. But  _Number_  274 did. Not just her, but for everyone on this mission. They were fixing his mistake at the cost of everything. He put his trust before humanity and he was paying for it in spades. This regret was his greatest strength  _and_  greatest weakness.

They reached the entrance to the central chamber, a place where Numbuh Infinity had once claimed was classified and to never open it. He ran his Utility Watch's holographic scanner against the door just as 275 approached with a digital lockpicker.

"Fascinating!" Jacob exclaimed, running his fingers against the alien mechanism of the lock. It looked like stained glass. "We'll have to be very careful unlocking this! It might be-"

"Stand back." Chad simply said, attaching a bomb to the delicate infrastructure before pulling the young man away to a safer distance. Jacob whined at the lack of tact their commander was showing when the bomb detonated, causing the door to ungracefully crash down.

One of the scientists gaped at the state of the door. "We could have used that technology to our advantage!"

"If you want a door that can easily shatter from a  _pipe bomb_ , be my guest," Chad said dismissively as he climbed past the debris. Infinity always did prefer style to practicality. Looking at each other, the scientists simply shrugged and followed.

He had thought this would be where Infinity would hide himself in, but Chad found it disappointingly empty. 275 and the others, however, stared in awe at the state of the room.

There were panels of eclectic design and computers that would have trumped even their greatest mainframes, the buttons fluorescent and tempting to touch. Everything was at their fingertips from weaponry to the med deck.

While the scientists eagerly scrambled to accumulate as much data as possible, Chad stopped and stared at the empty podium where Infinity must have used to contact the Council, feeling somewhat restless at how easy it was to reach this place.

This was easy. Too easy.

"Don't take your sweet time!" He turned to Jacob sharply. "Anything on the S-Spore is top priority. Once we have the information secured, then you can take whatever you want."

That was when the podium began to activate.

* * *

Patton didn't expect Numbuh 5's team to be so small. "This is your team?" He asked her, ignoring how she was gaping at him strangely when he looked around for Rachel. She hadn't arrived yet.

"Patton! What are you...? Why are you here?!" Abby demanded, expecting an adult  _not_  a decommissioned operative. He ignored her for a moment to press a finger to his ear.

"Number 362, we're at the rendezvous point. Where are you?" Her voice was broken and covered with static, but he couldn't do anything about it. Shaking his head with a slight frustrated grit of his teeth, he turned back to Abby, stunned by what she was hearing. "You're Numbuh 5, I presume? We're HAWK's second infiltration team here to provide back up. I'm Number-"

"60. I know." She narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't divulge much. Why Patton and Rachel were a part of HAWK, or how they knew about their operative selves, they didn't have time. This was no time to ponder and ask questions. "The experimental bay is this way."

"Are your teammates adequate?" Abby bitterly snorted at his question.

"Not now, no." She gestured at Kuki and Wally, who looked so out of place, Patton could have sworn they were a part of the hostages they were supposed to recover. "They're stowaways. I got separated by my team early on from-"

"A red barrier?" When Abby widened her eyes at him and nodded, Patton's own gaze narrowed. Something was alive in this station and they were being separated like insects.

Wally stepped forward, slamming his fist against his palm. "So what? Let's get in, get Kuki's sister, and bounce because this place is seriously creeping me out!" Patton shook his head at the boy's impulsiveness, but his Asian companion was already at it, forcing the door open to reach the hostages.

"Mushi! I'm HERE!" She cried out, running in. Wally immediately ran after her.

"WAIT GUYS! WE DON'T KNOW-" Abby quickly followed them with Patton and Kenny close behind. They stopped abruptly once they reached the room, having not expected what they'd find there.

It was like something out of a science fiction horror novel. Each child was encased in tubes and submerged in a green liquid. Kenny immediately raised his Utility Watch to scan the closest tube as Kuki searched the tubes for her little sister.

Wally took a step back, his back stiff and his fists curled in defense. "Are they... are they dead?" Kuki let out a strangled cry at his words, fingers pressed hard against her lips as she finally found her little sister encased in one of them, unresponsive.

Kenny shook his head at the results. "No. They're in stasis. I think." Abby walked over to one of the panels and began typing away, realizing how childishly easy it was to hack into the system.

"This is going to be a problem," Abby said gravely, pulling up the medical file on one of the pods. "Their life support is linked to the central system. If we try to detach them from here, we could risk disrupting their pods and then we'll  _really_  kill them."

Kuki pressed her hands against the glass to Mushi's pod, tears threatening to spill. "We've got to do something! We can't leave them here!" Wally placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, we've gotten this far! We're not going to stop now! Right, err... was it Numbuh 5 they called you?" Abby smiled at Wally.

The kid had guts. Patton pressed his finger to his ear, hoping to catch someone on the transmission. "Zeta to anyone! We've reached the hostages, but we need someone to get to the central chamber and unlock these pods! Anyone read me?"

There was a silence. And then, a familiar voice filtered in and out of static. "362 on her way."

* * *

"I am extremely disappointed in you, Numbuh 274," Infinity's hologram regarded Chad with a sigh. "Turning on everything you stood for and then launching a siege on your allies."

Chad glared hard at the flickering hologram. "I don't call someone who tried to kill me an 'ally', Infinity." He knew this had been too easy. Infinity wouldn't dare give anything up without some kind of fight. "So where are you? I've come to  _personally_  give you my two weeks notice."

Infinity fixed his sunglasses. "Indeed. We're more than just simple intergalactic kids, you know that. We knew that someone was going to come for your children. It was only a matter of time." He stared intently at Chad. "It is a real pity that you couldn't have joined us, Chad. You had so much potential."

"Being an adult has it's perks," He challenged back. "Maybe if you grew up a bit, you'd realize that what you're doing is wrong. And  _desperate_."

"Perhaps," Infinity glanced briefly at the scientists continuing to run rampant in his beloved central chamber. "But since you're so adamant at playing adult, Numbuh 274, it's only fair that treat you like an adult, yes?"

Chad didn't like the sound of that. "We're done." He growled dismissively at what was obviously an empty threat. He turned and moved one of the scientists away to open up the comm beacon and fix whatever communication problems was interfering with their frequency.

"This is Number 274 from central. We've secured the area. Please respond and report."

"Why don't you press vid button?" Infinity supplied helpfully. Chad paused, fingers curling into a fist before pressing it. Immediately, different holograms appeared around the chamber, showing different decks and corridors including the carrier deck. He noticed that the entire interior was covered in red light.

The carrier bay's video feed showed the area going into lockdown, trapping Fanny and the operatives within as they attempted to shoot it open. Chad whirled dangerously on Infinity. "What did you-!"

"Sir!" Number 275 pointed at another screen. "The infiltration team!" Chad pushed Jacob aside to see Patton and the others' environment turn red like the carrier bay.

Patton looked up as everything turned red and an alert was sounded. His suit indicated that they put on their helmets and ignite their oxygen. Trading meaningful looks at the TND operative, Abby nodded and immediately reached for Wally and Kuki. "Put on your helmets now!"

Kenny scanned the area, his helmet already on. "Someone's draining the oxygen here. We've also got another problem. It seems the power's slowly failing on life support." Patton immediately attempted to contact Chad, surprised to actually manage to reach him despite their failing communications.

_"Number 274! Are you at the central chamber? You need to disengage these pods before the power fails. Number 274?!"_

Patton's words echoed around the central hub. Terror suddenly gripping him, Chad started computing on the nearest panel for the disengage coordinates.

"Sir! Something's happening on the carrier bay!" One scientist announced. Chad turned to find another transmission. This time it was from Number 100.

_Can anybody still hear us?! We're being pinned down by turret fire and the hangar has completely locked down! If anybody can override the lock, we'd be happy campers!_

Fanny's voice crackled in and out of the transmission.  _We've lost radio contact with Number 777! ... SIR! Number 23's DOWN, Captain! I've gotta go and drag 'er-_

_STAY DOWN! 86! I SAID STAY-!_

"It's very simple, 274." Infinity's words caused Chad to turn slowly. This was a trap. "You wanted to be an adult, so we will treat you like one. Adults have to make very huge decisions. Sometimes they have  _consequences_. It's time that you understand the implications of adulthood, 274. Maybe you'll finally realize that our way is the  _only_  way."

He resolutely ignored him and turned to 275. "Disengage the pods, 275, and 57 open that hangar!"

"Sir, that's what we've been trying to tell you! The interface will lock on the other and shut down if we do it!" Jacob looked over his shoulder, his words grave. "We can only execute one or the other."

Chad began to shake with anger at Infinity's parting words. "You won't be able to save  _everyone_."


	28. Year Four - Dragnet III

**Year Four**  - Dragnet III

It was like a maze. If it wasn't for the fact that the Utility Watch was helping her maneuver around all the winding halls and corridors, she was almost sure she'd be lost forever. Everything seemed to look exactly the same each time she passed from one place and to another.

And it was quiet. Like a death quiet. The heavy sounds of her boots magnetically hitting metal made her hair stand on end. Not wanting to waste oxygen, she took off her helmet and took a deep breath before coughing at what she was inhaling. Even the air felt metallic and stale.

Looking up at the intertwining pipes and circuitry, she really wondered if this was an actual ship of alien design. That was when a chill ran up her back. Someone was watching her. Gripping her helmet hard, she slowly turned around, but found nothing. The only thing that could possibly watch her was the mounted turrets, but she had found them offline. Someone must have shut it off. She ran her Utility Watch's scan over the turrets and gained access to their online codes. It could be useful in case she ran across any of them online and in her way.

After a moment of scanning, she stared suspiciously at the powered down weapon which gave her enough incentive to take out her own rifle out and continue on. She needed to stop dallying around. Patton and the others needed her. Fanny would be awfully angry if she knew that right at this moment, Rachel had been doing some sightseeing while she was risking her life drawing out the fire. The guilt in her gut empowering her conviction, she continued on with a renewed haste.

But that was when the environment decided that it was time to turn her environment against her, emitting that same red barrier that was barring her from going forward to the correct corridor. Frowning, she turned on her Utility Watch to find another entrance, only to find that every entrance in the corridor was suddenly lit up in red light at her scan, blocking her entirely. A mild case of claustrophobia began to kick in as she took a step back. She was trapped in.

All the barriers started to flicker on and off like Christmas lights, and much to her displeasure, it almost as if someone was teasing her. Frustrated by it all, she screamed.

"KNOCK IT OFF!"

And, interestingly enough, it stopped, leaving only one passageway open to her. Without giving whoever was doing that an incentive to screw with her again, she ran past the entrance regardless of where it was leading her and ended up in a very small and compact room.

It was circular with a guardrail presented to her that held what looked like a computer console. Beyond it was a circular platform that was emitting a bright light. It looked like a holographic station. Brow furrowed in slight confusion she took a step forward and was startled. A grid of golden light ran up and down the length of her body and then flickered away. In its place was the sound of an automatic female computer voice.

_Possible candidate Numbuh 362: Age 16. Unfit for candidacy. Please report to Infinity for an immediate disembarkation._

Rachel frowned at the statement. Infinity was the enemy. It was in her mission specs. "Bite me."

_Warning: teenage jargon. Please remain in the vicinity until an operative escorts you to the nearest airlock. Have a nice day._

She really needed to stop hanging around Fanny so much. However, this computer knew who she was and curiousity overwhelmed her prior mission to find the others. "Review my candidacy, please."

The hologram in front of her answered her query by emitting a girl roughly ten or eleven dressed in an orange sweater and a samurai helmet. Rachel had seen this girl before in her files. She was looking at her KND self. The female voice presented its findings with a neutral demeanor.

_Numbuh 362 was part of a list of secondary recommended operatives for the Ascension program. Before the outbreak of the Andromeda War, only one operative from each viable planet could join the Galactic Kids Next Door. This protocol has been modified three standard Earth years ago by the Council however, as statistics indicate that we were losing the war. 362 was recommended by Earth Operative Numbuh 1._

Rachel raised her head up at that. "Was I approached for this Ascension program?"

_Prior to your decommissioning, you were approached by Numbuh Infinity and offered triple agent status not unlike Numbuh 274. You declined._

"Why?"

Instead of a verbal answer, the circular platform erased Rachel's younger self and played a vid. This was the first time she had ever seen herself as Numbuh 362: walking, talking, and fully animated in her movements. This wasn't a picture that could have been easily doctored or manipulated. The absolute truth was that this was her in an artificial memory, pacing in the flickering light of the vid, her expression worrisome and conflicted. This was unlike her. It was jarring to see this. Numbuh 362 then looked up and from the shadows came a dark-skinned boy in a suit.

" _Where are my operatives?"_ She demanded with an authority Rachel had never used before. " _Where have you taken Numbuh 1?"_

" _He has joined us to fight,"_  Infinity calmly told her. " _The Galactic Kids Next Door requires the best operatives as we fight the disease that has ravaged throughout the galaxy: adulthood."_

Rachel made a face at such a silly thing. She wasn't surprised at the similar response Numbuh 362 was sporting. " _Adulthood? Adulthood isn't a disease, Numbuh Infinity."_

Infinity merely lowered his head to the side, giving the impression that he's heard the same response from others over and over again before. " _This is something that you cannot comprehend, Numbuh 362. But I understand your confusion on the matter. You do not think adulthood is a disease because your Earth's culture celebrates it. But you will understand if you let us."_

Numbuh 362 watched him warily. " _Is that the same spiel you told Chad? Because Numbuh 5 informed me that he was working for the Splinter Cell."_

" _His current predicament is... unfortunate."_  Infinity had the decency to show regret. " _We wanted to recruit him before he turned thirteen, but we were unable to acquire the... appropriate measures in doing so. His status as a triple agent, however, is helping us keep a close eye on Father and the other adults."_

The look Numbuh 362 was giving him couldn't be described. It was almost calculatingly frustrated. " _You're using him."_

" _As you use your operatives every single day for the bettering of the Kids Next Door? Then yes, that is precisely it."_ Rachel's hands balled into fists, wondering why Numbuh 362 wasn't trying to pummel this snake in the face. " _Numbuh 1 has recommended your file to us."_

That caused both Rachel and Numbuh 362 to look up at him. " _He did?"_  Numbuh 362 blinked, her words hesitant.

" _Yes. He spoke quite highly of you."_  Infinity took a step forward. " _He would love nothing more than to have you fight by his side."_

And, much to Rachel's surprise, Numbuh 362 started to  _blush_. " _Ah...um..."_  Her teenage counterpart grimaced by how lovestruck she looked. "Get a hold of yourself, Mini-Me."

Infinity continued, familiar to the concept of puppy love, but completely alien to it. " _We would be happy to welcome you into the GKND ranks, Numbuh 362. Your ability to lead hundreds of thousands of operatives would prove beneficial to us. You won't have to grow old and you won't be decommissioned."_

And so this was the moment. Ignoring her mission completely for the sole curiosity of this missing important piece of her past, Rachel stood back and awaited her past self's answer, arms folded. "Well... this is it, little me. You obviously had a thing for Nigel Uno." She muttered. "Oh god, Lizzie should have killed me." Numbuh 362 hesitated, obviously considering her options from there. Her older counterpart glanced at Infinity. "It just... it sounds too good to be true."

" _It's too good to be true."_ Numbuh 362 said softly and then, she smiled. " _I think... I'll have to decline your offer."_ Both Rachel and Infinity just stared at her.

And then Rachel palmed her face. "Wait, what am I so surprised for? Of course I... she...  _we_  declined." She wouldn't be here after all if she didn't.

Infinity then raised the million dollar question.  _"Why?"_

_Zeta to anyone! We've reached the hostages, but we need someone to get to the central chamber and unlock these pods! Anyone read me?_

She was startled by the sound of Patton's voice; a crash of static buzzed loudly in her ear. Wincing, she pressed a finger there to confirm. "Number 60? I read you." But the most she heard was constant static. The connection was extremely unstable and she wasn't even sure if even one single word got through to him. Waving away the holovid, she saved whatever was in the panel to her Utility Watch. This wasn't the time to poke through memories. She had a mission to see through to the end.

Playing with the frequency of her comm, she uttered three times. "362 on her way." Taking a final look at the now vacant platform, Rachel quickly turned on her heel and ran to the next rendezvous point.

Unbeknownst to her, a camera zoomed in on her as she turned the corner.

* * *

The rest of the scientists looked to each other, wondering what call would their leader make. Only one person kept his eyes glued to 274. Chad was, after all, Jacob's first and former leader of Sector S. He hadn't known him long back in the KND. Not after Numbuh 274 was recommended for global command after taking on and rising victoriously against a multitude of dangerous adult villains. After he received the invitation as Global Tactical Officer, he had left their treehouse without looking back and eventually, their group scattered to different stations all over the world.

But Chad wasn't preoccupied with a past that should remain in the past. He was glaring at the console in front of him and, despite the ominous flashing of red lights and the conflicted intent in his stare down of the screen, the man had yet to break a sweat. This was his natural environment: working under extreme pressure.

Except this wasn't a KND mission where the worst you'd get out of it was gum in your hair. This time lives were at stake. Jacob cleared his throat after a minute, hoping to get their leader to do something.  _Anything_. "Sir. We don't have much time." Either they saved one, or lose them both. Chad needed to make a move now for their mission to succeed.

But a million thoughts were running quickly through Chad's mind, trying to find a reasonable scenario he had done and conquered during these kinds of missions. Unfortunately, most of these tactics either dealt with commanding from the sidelines back when he was Supreme Leader, or when he worked solo where the only casualty would be himself. But this... this was people who were going to be influenced by his decision. His decision would be their consequence.

Anxiety taking over as the alarm grew louder, Jacob slammed his palm next to the console, trying to get Chad's attention. It marginally worked. "Sir! You have to pick one now!"

Chad grit his teeth and shoved himself away from the console in response. "I want those pods unlocked now. And you've got two minutes to data-mine the information before Infinity wipes it remotely. Don't waste time and head to the shuttle." When they looked at him with something akin to confusion and fear, he snapped. "What are you waiting for?! Get moving!"

"YES SIR!" A choir of scientists saluted before they immediately began preparations. Realizing that Chad moved to the back to suit up with a small cache of weaponry he hadn't known they brought with them, he started to follow Chad out of the chamber. "You're going after them." Jacob concluded.

Chad declined to elaborate further. "Go back and deal with your team, 275."

"Where you're going is suicidal. You know that Number 777's team is either pinned by heavy fire or dead. Go the opposite direction and we both know you'll be in the kill zone." Whether Jacob was saying pragmatism was Chad's usual style or not, the man didn't care to ask. His former teammate kept following him as he began hooking up his fire suppression kit to his belt. Jacob watched as Chad expertly checked and locked in his flash grenades and armed his assault rifle for immediate combat. "Number 274, did you not hear me? You know you'll end up in the kill zone-"

"Don't worry about me. Worry about the others. I'm expenda-"

_You are NOT!_

Chad suddenly paused in mid-step. Jacob stopped and looked on in confusion at the thoughtful expression his leader was giving the floor.

_You are just as valuable as anyone else, Dickson! Especially me. If something happens to you, who's going to protect me?_

He shook his head and allowed himself a self-deprecating smirk. _Rachel._  Looking back up, he continued on. "You underestimate me, Number 275. I was the greatest operative back in the KND. A couple of turrets isn't going to stop me."

"But sir-" He took a step back when Chad rounded on him, his features stern.

"Failing one mission for the success of the other is unacceptable under my command, Jacob," And, for the first time, Jacob saw a glimmer of the former Numbuh 274: calm, approachable, and above all else, exuding a confidence that was inspiring. "If the odds are against you, then you slide out the ace in the hole." Kicking open a service hatch, he started to climb up the ladder to the hangar deck.

He'll be damned if he'd let Infinity screw him over again. Losing everyone on this mission wasn't an option. Even at the cost of one life.

* * *

A green light flashed in Mushi's pod as Kuki pressed herself against the glass to check on her. Mildly gaping, the Asian teen watched as every pod turned from a menacing red to a cool green. Patton turned around at the sound of mechanics whirring and saw that the pods were disengaging. With great relief, Abby and Kenny immediately began to work on the console.

"Pods can be extracted now," Kenny ran his fingers against the holographic keyboard, testing any security locks left over with his Utility Watch. They waited until Abby considered the contents inside each one to be stable enough to start the process.

She took a deep breath from inside her helmet before giving Patton a thumbs up. "So long as we don't compromise the structure of the pods, they can survive being transported even in the vacuum of space."

"Good, because we're going to need that." Patton said, closing an emergency comm to their shuttle. "209 said the tunnels have been shutdown due to a security breach. We might have to space these out of airlock the old fashioned way."

Kuki looked at them, wringing her hands in worry. "Is that safe?" That was when Wally rounded on Patton, his Australian accent at full force as the girl's fear egged his anger on. "Oi! Yer supposed to be like uber agents or something! Yer just gonna space them?! Do better!"

"Tell you what, sport, you come up with something  _better_ and we'll make you leader, got it?" Patton growled and ran a slashing motion against his throat which was an obvious threat for him to shut up. "I want these pods lined up single file. We're moving them down the corridor and to the nearest airlock. Once the shuttle is at our coordinates, we're forming a chain out in space to guide them. Numbuh 5, I want you to reach the shuttle first. Then the... what's your name again?"

"Kuki."

Patton nodded. "Then I want Kuki spaced. Lock hands to form a chain. Then 30c, then the Aussie-"

"-I have a name, y'know!"

"And then I'll send each pod over from the airlock." Patton continued, ignoring the fuming teenage boy. "One at a time, we guide them to the shuttle. It's the best we can do."

Kenny nodded but he quirked an eyebrow up. "What about Number 362?" Abby awkwardly turned away at the frustrated expression appearing on Patton's face. Her disappearance was distracting him from doing his duty. Seems like even after all of these years and the loss of memories, things still hadn't changed.

"She's an operative." Patton said, though his words were grave. "She'll either find her way to the rendezvous point or find the others. But right now, these pods are our priority, understand?" Kenny nodded and then moved back to the panel for the disengaging process.

Focusing on the current mission kept Patton's mind off his two best friends and whatever fate had in store for them.

* * *

"Trying to save everyone, are you?" He told him. "We both know there was only one person capable of such a feat."

Chad's way up to the hangar was a service elevator that was currently inoperable due to an emergency power fluxuation. Infinity had taken the chance of Chad's current predicament to show himself again as a hologram, but he wasn't alone. Alongside him was a static hologram of Nigel Uno.

He lowered his weapon, dismissively looked at Uno's flickering profile and turned away to hack into the elevator panel to get it running, already aware of Infinity's next tactic. Either way, if he couldn't get the power back on he was just going to scale the shaft to get there. Nothing was going to stop him from reaching the hangar except for death. Not even Infinity and his twisted mind games.

Uno had looked much more older before Chad ignored the image, but not that much. Why he wasn't still a child despite the Ascension program was beyond Chad's understanding at the moment. And, quite frankly, he wasn't exactly free to care. Maybe this was just another ploy by Infinity to catch him off-guard. "Is this the best you can do, Infinity? Scare me with a picture of Uno?" He managed to spit out and started to tear off the panel. Looking at this person, even as a hologram, was dauntingly aggravating. "Because I'm busy. Bother someone else."

Despite everything, Numbuh 1 was still a hero in everyone's eyes. Even her's. No matter how hard Chad tried, he could never measure up. He was never able to reach what should have been his.

"Would you rather I bother Numbuh 362?" That caused Chad to freeze up at the statement. He quickly turned and took a threatening step forward toward Infinity.

"What did you do to her?!" She was supposed to be with Number 60 and her team. That was the only saving grace to this entire mission. So long as she was safe, he could work with this. This new distraction, however, was probably what Infinity wanted all along.

Infinity placed his hands behind his back. " _I_ didn't do anything. Numbuh 1, however, has seem to have taken it upon himself to remotely hack into this station's security feed once he heard that three of his former Sector V teammates were in the vicinity. But we both know who he's really paying attention to." His sunglasses seemed to glint with intimidation. "It's a love that just won't die, would it Numbuh 274?"

Chad glared at Infinity before turning away again, now even more determined than ever to reach his destination. Infinity continued on conversationally. "He's quite angry, you know, the last time I talked to him. He wanted you to protect her, not take advantage of her memory-less state and steal her away." That caused Chad's back to stiffen. Whether it was from guilt or how personal the subject was, Infinity did not know. But this time he cared because he now knew Chad's undoing. It had always been her.

"He wonders how pathetic you are. If Numbuh 362 had her memory back, he had said, she would hate you. She would hate and despise you for taking advantage of her. Stealing her first kiss, her first embrace, everything that was supposed to be Numbuh 1's alone. Her goodness and innocence tainted by the touch of a traitor." Chad's grip on the wires began tighten enough to turn his fingers white. Eventually he started to shake in anger at Infinity's insinuations.

Despite it all, he managed to get the elevator going again and he turned, seeing Numbuh 1's expressionless face before looking back at Infinity. "Is that all?" He told the dark-skinned boy blandly. "Is that the best you could do?" The words had hit him like a ton of bricks, but he'd be damned if he'd show Infinity any incentive that he was winning.

"I have a few parting words for you, Numbuh 274," Infinity simply said. "Even if you survive this, you have lost. You will lose everything."

"And I'll prove you wrong again," Chad countered. "I'm going to save the distraction team and everyone's going to leave here alive. You hear me?"

Both Nigel and Infinity's holograms had flickered out of existence, but the boy's words continued before it faded away. "You will lose everything."

And as Chad finally reached the appropriate deck, the implications of Infinity's words had stopped him if not for a moment. Realizing those words, he found himself within a fork in the road. Two seconds too late did he understand why Infinity showed him an image of Uno.

It wasn't the mission Infinity was talking about.

_You will lose everything._

* * *

When she reached the central chamber, the scientists were already packed up and ready to go. She frowned when she didn't see Chad among their ranks. "Where's Number 274? Wasn't he your squad leader?" A few nodded, but it was Jacob who stepped forward to elaborate.

"Did you not hear the comm alert? It was a trap. Infinity forced us to pick between saving the hangar or saving the kidnapped children. 274 had to make a decision." Rachel paled at the young man's words, but urged him to elaborate with a serious gesture to continue. He nodded. "He's headed to the hangar now to try and save 777's group from fire and possibly open it and free 100's distraction team. I told him it was suicide-"

Rachel abruptly turned to the scientist working the comm. "Is Zeta team successfully transporting the pods to the shuttle?" Her words were clipped and urgent which prompted the scientist to check the vid feed.

"Yes ma'am. It looks like they're transporting now."

She nodded. "I want the comm's cleared, 73. The pathway I went through is clear for your immediate transport, but I want constant updates on Zeta team's status until they've securely gotten all of the pods on the shuttle. Can you do that?" A bit stunned by how authoritative the recently new operative was handing out orders to them, they hesitated for a moment before chanting 'ma'am' and getting to work.

It was almost like it was deja vu for Jacob. Not too long ago, Chad had put on his tactical gear and now Rachel was moving forward to pick up the engineering kit, sliding the Neutralization styled weaponry on her person as she started to walk out of the deck. "You're going to get killed like him if you follow." Jacob had an inkling that Chad had some kind of soft spot for her, but to what extent, he was unsure of. When Chad had become their squad leader for this infiltration, he was very private about anything else except the mission.

"I'm going after the distraction team," She corrected him curtly, but he knew better by the softness in her eyes. Maybe she too was rather private regarding personal matters. "I was going to rendezvous with 777's team anyways. 274 could use the backup."

But her heart was beating fast and a slight shiver was running up her arms and neck. He was always doing stupid things at the risk of getting himself killed. She missed the clasp of securing her kit a few times before she took a deeper breath and clicked it on. This wasn't the time to panic.

She had thought the voice that called out to her was 275's, but it wasn't.

"Rachel."

There it was again. That shiver up her spine. Rachel paused, slightly shaking as she turned. The corridors began to flicker around in red again like last time and Jacob was nowhere to be found. No, this time she didn't recognize the young man in front of her. He was wearing a very alien-like uniform but he was undoubtedly human. The flicker of barriers continued and now she found the culprit who was leading her around like a hamster caught in a maze. "Why are you following me around?" She demanded, finally finding a face for this aggravating game.

Meanwhile, Chad remained at the crossroads knowing what Infinity had planned all along. Uno was after Rachel and if he didn't... he fished out his Utility Watch and found her homing beacon not far away from the central chamber on the map. He could go back and take her with him but it would be at the risk of losing more people by wasting time. If he stopped now he could lose the rest of the distraction team. But if he kept going, Uno could... Chad could lose her to his better adversary. It was possible.

_You will lose everything._

This was Infinity's real plan all along. This was retribution for turning back on the cause. He was at risk of losing something intrinsically important to him. It was a test of selfishness. Which was the greatest thing to lose? He didn't want the deaths of so many people weighing on his soul. But was it worth it at the cost of losing something important to him?

She was the reason he was here. She was his redemption.

With a pained snarl, he continued his hasty trek after the distraction team, leaving Rachel's fate at the hands of Uno. Regardless of his allegiance, Uno had always been the better man for her. This was fate telling him he would always be second best: to the cause and to her.

Villains never got the girl. And he was an idiot for believing that this would last.

He could hear shouting and firing in the next corridor and, for the first time in his life, he was going to commit a selfless act that didn't need cajoling or an ulterior motive to achieve. His comm beeped at last now that he was close by to the attack.

_This is 777! Can anybody hear us?! We're pinned and a lot of my operatives are down! The door to the hangar is locked shut and we can't get in! Is someone out there?! What's the status of the Zeta team?! Please can anyone hear us?!_

Chad installed a pipe bomb to the door and ran for cover, rifle at the ready. "This is Number 274 reporting," He said through the comm, hearing a breathless sigh of relief from her. Someone had finally responded to her hails. "Hang tight guys. I'm going in!"

This was his redemption.


	29. Year Four - Dragnet IV

**Year Four** \- Dragnet IV

The young man before her remained silent. Unnaturally still and silent. His stance betrayed nothing of character, nothing that would denote that he was human except that he looked like one. It was almost as if this form was extremely foreign and he couldn't figure out the secrets to it, leaving whoever was there to watch grimace at the attempt of being  _human_.

"You're grown up," He smiled and took a step forward. It prompted her to take a step back in fear and suspicion. She didn't know who he was or why he was acting like that. All she knew was that it screamed dubious. "I... sorry Rachel. You don't remember me, I know. But you're here, so you must know something." Despite her suspicious frown, he smiled fondly. "You know me."

She could honestly say she did, but that would be partially true. She's heard of him, but she didn't  _know_  him. And if he knew her but she didn't, it was the other her that did. Extremely confused by his presence and terribly creeped out by how unnatural he seemed to move, she turned her head and stared at the floor to avoid looking at him directly. "You're Numbuh 1." He was older, but she recognized his face from Lizzie's room and HAWK's personnel files. It was extremely odd why he wasn't still ten years old. Chad had told her that you never aged in the GKND.

This was a conundrum that Chad wasn't here to explain. And that set her on extreme guard.

He was smiling at her answer and she didn't need to look at him to tell that he did it. "Ah, so you do remember me." She lifted her shoulders up, an innate response to the shyness that she was feeling. It was just... how do you react to someone who acted like they knew you, but you knew nothing about them in return? Wasn't he the enemy?

And yet the enemy was smiling at her with such a fondness and nostalgia that she had no choice but to look up. "It's been too long since I've been away from Earth," He continued with a light English drawl, taking a step forward. She watched with reservation as he took a look at the corridor around them and then his gaze softened almost pitifully. "No windows here. Windows are a structural weakness apparently. I bet the Earth is right under us right now. I wish I could see it."

"Why can't you? You're here."

Nigel turned back to her, his expression resigned. "No, I'm  _not_." He took a step forward, but this time she didn't move. It gave him the incentive to move again. "I'm not anywhere close to this system. I'm far away in the future or the past. Time has little meaning when you travel the way we travel." Rachel looked at him quizzically and wondered if he was always this meaningful when he was a child. "I wonder..." He continued, looking down at her. "I wonder how long it's been. Tell me, Rachel, how long has it been since I've been gone?"

"I..." She honestly couldn't tell him. Did he leave when she was decommissioned or was it before? "Three... maybe four years? Five?"

"That's long. My old team are almost adults," Nigel said wistfully. "Every one of them is here.  _You're_  here. It's fate. I know you didn't really believe in that, but even you must have realized that there's too much coincidence to be anything but."

"No, I don't!" She said with great frustration. It was like everyone was in the loop but her. Everybody knew her but she had yet to know herself. "I'm not..." Rachel turned away and hugged herself, inadequacy creeping into her. "... I'm not her." She wished Chad was here. This was... it was like she didn't know who she was anymore. She had always relied on him to be that anchor and keep her grounded when she couldn't process things.

Had she whispered his name? She must have because Nigel was now walking toward her. If she had looked she would have noticed a light seemed to have disappeared from his eyes, leaving them cold and mechanic.

"Numbuh 274? He was supposed to keep you safe for me," She stilled at his words, a chill lacing up her spine by how icy his tone was. "You had wanted to stay neutral and become a normal teenager. That was his job, you know? And now look at you: dressed up like an operative and working for the enemy. But I'm not surprised what he's done. Not at all." Rachel frowned at those words and shook her head, but he continued on.

"He always wanted the best. Did he tell you that we competed for everything? Becoming the first operative for the Galactic Kids Next Door, the best fighter, the best leader... " She could feel him coming up from behind and she shivered. There was no heat coming off of him despite feeling the brush of his chest against her back. It was bizarre. "It only makes sense that he'd use you to get an edge over me. If he couldn't be me, he'll take everything else. My friends, my future, my  _girl_..."

Her skin crawled at the word and she shook her head. No, no. It felt wrong. Lizzie had always been Nigel's girl. That she knew. Whatever this was, it had to be a lie. "Lizzie... she hasn't forgotten you."

Nigel's breath against her neck was frigid. She shivered again. "It's not Lizzie who I'm talking about. I knew you've always loved me, Rachel. Whatever hold Chad has on you is worth _nothing_ in comparison to what we had. Because he's using you. You're his consolation prize, his attempt at getting back for the destiny I stole right out from under him. And you know what? He doesn't even care. You're a mask of your former self that's easy to manipulate with your memory gone. He'll take what he wants and then cast you aside."

What did he know about love or jealousy or bitterness? They were just  _children_  back then. Her fingers tightened into fists until they began to shake alongside the swishing of her hair as she refused his words. "He's  _not_  like that."

"You don't realize that now, but when you get your memory back you will." Arms unnaturally strong wound themselves around her shoulders, pulling her close. Her whole body began to shake now, but not from fear of those words. His body was just so hard and extremely cold and uncomfortable. It was like hugging a refridgerator. "And you  _will_  know, Rachel. You will know just like everyone else how much of a traitor he is. How much he lies and manipulates because it's in his nature. He cares for no one but himself."

"You're wrong," She said softly. "He does care. So much more than you'll ever know. He cares so much that it makes him physically ill." There were nights where she'd find him slumped over his seat trying to stay awake with his new duty as Father, knowing that it was her who wanted him to do this for the sake of everyone. If she asked something from him, he'd drop everything for her no matter how important it was. He had always been there for her. If that was him not caring... then what was it?

His grip on her was surprisingly constricting. She panicked and began to squirm in his grasp, but he refused let go. "Why do you defend him? He's selfish, uncaring, and power hungry. He'll do whatever it takes to be the best.  _To win_. Tell me, Rachel.  _Why_?"

She paused in her struggling. Perhaps she was finally seeing the truth in his words.

Rachel took a deep breath.

* * *

As soon as the pipe bomb blew a hole through the door, Chad took the distraction of the smoke and chaos and jumped right through despite the fact that he had no idea what he would find on the other side. The shooting didn't diminish, but he had hoped that he could alleviate some of the fire to his side.

He tossed a flash grenade through the smoke to get the enemies' attention and, as it went off with a loud searing bang, he turned on his virtual visor to get a lock on the situation through the smoke.

Three targets up and not even in cover. Seeing the enemies' profiles in pure red, he quickly glanced over at the opposite barricade, the scanner showing a small group of blue hidden behind. Chad raised his rifle up; he had the preemptive strike with their backs to him. He fired a warning shot to get their attention.

They paused in their firing, but they didn't run for cover. He didn't understand. There were only three marks doing the pinning, but Reina's team had at least five well-armed operatives. The attack pausing for now, he yelled, "NOBODY MOVE! NUMBER 777!"

While his eyes focused on the very silent backs of the attackers, he noticed a gloved hand shoot out of the barricade and then disappeared. "We... something's wrong with her!" Reina had managed to yell out. "We didn't want to shoot her!"

Eyes narrowed at such an odd status report, Chad aimed his red laser dot at the middle participant. All three of them were dressed in a strange dark alien uniform. "Turn around! Slowly now!"

The middle one turned obediently. Turning off his visor, he looked through his scope to find a familiar mess of blond hair and startling brown eyes. Off-guard, he lowered his weapon.

"... Rachel?"

But she didn't even register him, her gaze sharp and dead. The others turned and Chad lowered his weapon fully and gaped. That was impossible. Nigel Uno hovered close by to her, his own expression completely mirrored like hers while a long time operative who Chad had sworn was lost so long ago followed suit: Numbuh 74.239.

He swallowed hard and realigned his weapon at them. "Drop your weapons.  _Now_!"

Rachel was the first one to do so, but she didn't need it. Before he could blink, she appeared right in front of him and clasped a cold, unnaturally strong hand around his neck and lifted him up effortlessly, his rifle tumbling out of his hands as she stole his breath. Immediately he tried to pry her fingers off as they squeezed.

At his resistance, she shoved him against the wall, her grip unyielding as she forced his head up. "R...ach...!" He tried to squeeze out, confused over her state of mind. Her fingers clenched even tighter, restricting his air flow until he was less speaking and more desperate to get her off of him. He clawed at her hands but she was stronger and resilient. Nothing betrayed her expression when she looked up at him. She was completely lifeless in her attempt to murder him.

"STOP!" Number 777 yelled when she looked over the barricade and aimed her weapon to stop Rachel before she was forced to fall back from a well-placed shot to the shoulder from Gabe. She let out a sharp cry before it was silent again; it was complete silence save for the choking sounds that was coming from their commander as he tried to keep himself from suffocating.

Nigel walked towards them and something akin to a human expression finally revealed itself. He glanced at Chad with contempt before finding his arms smoothly wound around Rachel's waist, encouraging the kill. "I warned you, didn't I?" His voice was flat and cold as he locked eyes with Chad. It was so unlike the Numbuh 1 the former KND agent knew. "She would have never wanted you once she got her memories back. Look in her eyes, Numbuh 274. Does it look like she cares whether you live or die now? She  _hates_  you for what you did to her. You took advantage of her like the monster you are."

"And you will die like one." She spoke for the first time, her eyes hard as she squeezed tighter. Chad grit his teeth and tried to pull away but to no avail. He was going to die by her hand.

" _He never lost sight of his duty. It's consumed his entire life. Everyday he continues without fail, works hard without recognition, and he thinks he deserves it. I_ _ **hate**_   _that. I hate that he doesn't believe in himself the way HAWK believes in him. The way_   _ **I**_ _believe in him."_

Chad gave up on trying to tear her hands away and instead moved to gently clasp her wrists with what little strength he had left. For what it was worth, he wanted to tell her that Nigel was wrong. He didn't want her just to beat Nigel at something. His anger was far along gone from that. "I..." He tried valiantly to speak. "Ah..."

" _You'll never understand, Nigel. You're still... you're still just a kid. A kid in an adult body. You don't see that people have something deep inside them beyond what's on the surface. Chad hides the best part of himself because he's been burned so many times. I don't want him to hate himself for having it."_

Nigel lightly squeezed Rachel's middle. "Let him say a few words before you kill him, Numbuh 362." She slightly loosened her grip in compliance and Chad began to cough as air finally escaped him and back again. "Quickly, Dickson. Tell her."

" _Maybe he and I will never have what you and I had. But I'm here now with or without memories. And I choose him. He needs me more than you do, Nigel. He needs someone to believe in him. He's not perfect. I'm not perfect. We're both not perfect for each other. But if everything was perfect, there would be nothing for us to fight for."_

"I... I'm sorry." Chad managed to choke out. He could feel her begin to flex her fingers around his throat in warning. "I didn't... all I wanted... was to protect you. No obliga... tion... I swear." The words were on his lips and, even in the face of death, he was still too scared to admit it. "I did... I do. I do lo..."

" _I think... despite everything, I love him."_

"Enough. I said _words_ , not a speech." Nigel snarled. "Kill him." Rachel hesitated to let him finish, but Chad had already resigned himself to his fate.

But the final kill never came. Rachel had let out a slight gasp, eyes widening as she turned. That was when Chad noticed a familiar looking dart stuck in her side. And in a moment, a jolt of electricity lit up the room and Rachel stumbled back, electricity engulfing her before she eventually collapsed onto the floor. Chad slid down the wall, coughing and sputtering as he clutched his inflamed throat.

Nigel immediately turned around only to be struck with three more of the same darts to the chest; they too ignited in a heavy shock of electricity before falling to the floor. And once Gabe was down, Reina signaled everyone out of the barricades. She gaped at their savior.

"Buh... but you're here a-and she's...!"

* * *

"I think... despite everything, I love him." Rachel brought her hands up to try and tug Nigel off of her. "You need to let me go and put the past behind you."

Instead of loosening his grip, it got tighter. Unbearably tight. Confused, Rachel started to struggle against the iron-clad grip. "I. Said. Let. Me. Go!" She gasped as it got tighter, stealing her breath as he attempted to squeeze her into two. Desperate, she started to flail in the hopes there was some sort of weakness that she could slip out from. "Num...buh...1... s-stop...!" She whimpered out.

"Number 362!" Jacob had been trapped behind one of the red barricades until it finally flickered out and gave way. He waved his Utility Watch quickly at Nigel and raised up his gun. "He's not a person! His skeleton's all metal!"

She didn't care if he was the King of France in disguise. She just wanted to get away before he crushed her to death. And when she started crying out when the squeeze became nearly unbearable to draw breath, Jacob quickly started to pat down his person for his science kit. There had to be anything in it that could interfere with the droid's signalling. He let out a gasp of triumph when he found a case of electromagnetic pulse darts used for jamming comm signals. It was unusual to use in this situation, but it may work.

"Hold on!" Jacob shouted, fumbling with the dart as he tried to load it into his gun. The droid, turning in realization, loosened his hold on Rachel long enough to smack Jacob hard enough for him to fall, the gun tumbling out of his hands and onto the cold metal floor.

Looking down, Rachel quickly used the moment to slip out of his hold and run for the gun. Nearly reaching the weapon, she suddenly screamed in alarm; a hand quickly grabbed her ankle and pulled her across the floor. She kicked and flailed until she was directly under Nigel, his fist raised up towards her face.

"Numbuh 1..." She growled, sticking the barrel of the gun into his chest and pulled the trigger. "You're dismissed, soldier!" He fell off of her as the electricity took hold, short circuiting the entire structure until he was nothing but inanimate scrap metal. After a moment, she sat up and took a few shuddering breaths, wincing at her now tender arms and chest. Jacob finally managed to pull himself up and sigh.

"I'm a scientist not a freaking soldier," Jacob grumbled and rubbed his injured cheek. At her determined look, he slid the case of electromagnetic darts to her before getting up to quickly lead his team out. "Good luck 362."

It took a bit to get herself up as well, stumbling from the numbness of the attack before she started loading her gun up and slowly make her way to the ventilation shaft. "I don't need luck." She muttered to herself. "Just a bigger gun."

If Fanny were around, she'd be crying with pride.

* * *

Chad began to cough loudly and rub his throat when his eyes finally locked on to Rachel, her gun raised as she smoothly climbed out of one of the ventilation shafts. Unlike her doppelganger on the floor, she was wearing the familiar looking HAWK's space suit. She nodded at Chad and fired one more dart into 74.239 before addressing him. "I figured you needed some backup, Number 274." She tossed him the gun. "Electromagnetic pulse ammo. Thank Jacob." As 777 attempted to revive some of her team members, Rachel turned to them. "They're droids. Holographic droids used to confuse us. It could be why the distraction team's having trouble. They don't know whether to shoot them or not."

While 777's team began to regroup and start on opening the sealed doors behind them, Chad finally got his bearings and idly rubbed his neck, trying not to stare at the drone who looked exactly like Rachel on the floor. The real deal, on the other hand, couldn't help but poke around, idly prodding the drone's side with the tip of her boot. Stepping back, the hologram fizzled out and revealed a metallic exoskeleton of the droid. She looked back up at his physical state and her stern features softened.

And then, imperceptibly looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was looking, she dropped her operative persona. "Are you alright?" She whispered, taking a step towards him and reaching out.

Flashes of her droid strangling him inadvertently caused him to flinch when she reached forward. She flinched back as well in response, her eyes flashing in hurt for a split second before a wave of understanding took over. "Right... the droid. I'll just..."

He didn't give her the time to complete her sentence. Taking her quickly into his arms, he pressed his lips hard against her cheek, just relieved that it wasn't her a few moments ago. She responded to his ministrations by gently pressing her fingers against the back of his neck and ran her lips lightly against his jaw. "Sorry I didn't get here quicker. It looked like she had a good grip." It was a light tease to fix such a dramatic situation and he appreciated it and stepped back to allow her to examine what was probably going to be a giant bruise around his throat by the end of the day.

"I didn't come after you. I'm sorry." That was all he could say. Rolling her eyes, she patted him on shoulder as Reina looked over to tell them they'd be able to get it open in a few minutes.

"Chad," She said softly when Reina got back to work. "I'm glad you didn't. I'm proud of you. If you didn't go after them, I would have never forgiven you, you know that." The fact that he went after his charges before his personal reasons meant more to her than he would ever know.

Setting each other aside for now, they quickly started helping out 777's team. Rachel was back in 362 mode, helping the medic take care of wounds and administer pulse ammo while Chad physically tore off one of the laser turrets and got to work on opening the door faster.

"Do we have any signal from the distraction team?" Rachel asked her squad leader as she loaded up a shotgun and handed it to their rather reluctant techie. Everyone needed a gun whether they could shoot or not. The techie grimaced and examined the weapon, but Reina ignored him in favor of dope slapping her wandering comm officer on the head. "Answer her!" She warned before moving to help Chad blow the door open.

"We've had some success," The comm officer told her, wincing as he rubbed the back of his head. "But it was on and off. Last coherent thing we heard? 100 was ordering everyone to fully suit up due to a radiation leak."

"Radiation leak?" Reina suddenly grabbed her comm officer by the scruff of his suit. "You idiot! You should have told us that!" She dropped him and wildly waved. "Everyone suit up! I repeat, suit up!"

As everyone dutifully began to put on their helmets, Rachel continued, "What about the opposition? Any other problems other than droids?"

The comm officer pulled up his Utility Watch to find the notes he had hastily written in while they were pinned down. "They counted five security turrets and six droids. They don't know they were droids though... said they weren't sure whether they were artificial or teammates brainwashed. 86 ordered them to attack anyways after one of them managed to destroy an entire barricade with his bare hands. After that was static."

Rachel nodded and addressed the team. "Alright. We need to suit up for radiation and you've got your specialized ammo for the droids. Remember what they were wearing and shoot specifically for them."

Whistling loudly, Reina waved everyone down. "You heard the little lady! Ten seconds and we're going to engage! Suits on or you die, got it?! I want half of you taking on the turrets and the other half after the droids." Another comm officer poked her on the shoulder.

"Ma'am, we've managed to send the distraction team a text with a response back. They'll be offline to prevent friendly fire and will respond to your hail at the ready."

Chad tossed aside the laser turret and reloaded his rifle, ready to go. He glanced momentarily at Rachel who shared his expression. Nodding, he let her go to fight. He had to trust her. If he didn't, she wouldn't do the same. He and another burly teammate started to slam themselves against the now weak construct of door, their final slam causing the giant shutter to break apart. There was a reveal of smoke and heavy signs of fire inside the locked down hangar.

Rachel wasted no time climbing over the debris, flanking her small team with their battle visors up and ready to see through the smoke. Switching ammo to standard, she and her team dealt with the turrets lining the very tall ceiling, keeping an eye on their shots to figure out where they were coming from.

Finding the first droid that looked suspiciously like Patton, Chad fired two shots from behind before moving to the next similarly clothed droid. Once he was spotted, he grabbed one of his own teammates about to get caught in the crossfire and flipped them over one of the crates, narrowly missing fire. He pressed the side of his helmet as his teammate began to fire over the crate. "Two droids down. How are the turrets coming along?!"

Using one of her tallest teammates as leverage, Rachel and another operative quickly jumped on his back like a spring board and maneuvered themselves quickly onto the high ceiling beams with a practiced ease, knowing that the turrets there could only shoot down than on their level. She shot at the closest one before answering Chad's hail. "171 and I are on the ceiling beams. Don't attempt to shoot at the turrets! We're up here!" 171 quickly got to work on one side while Rachel quickly balanced past the narrow walkways to deal with the others.

There was an opening to reach the distraction team. Ordering his teammate to flank him, Chad hopped over the crate and made a break for it through the firefight, managing to dodge laser fire to reach the distraction team until a shot from their side nearly got him in the shoulder. "At ease!" He yelled at the rifle pointed at him from the barricade. "It's Number 274 with backup!" Without waiting for someone to confirm, Chad quickly hopped over the barricade and found himself next to Number 100. His eyes widened. Jason looked like he was heavily bleeding through his helmet.

"Number 100!" He said loudly over the sound of shots fired and grabbed a hold of his former mentor's shoulders. "Hang in there!" Jason managed to lull his head a bit in recognition so Chad propped him carefully against the crate and started to look for a comm signal.

That was until he found a couple of bodies resting on the floor in his peripheral vision. Chad lowered his hand and crawled over, taking in the still bodies of Virginia and Fanny in their suits. He wasn't sure if they were alive or not. Trying to ignore them to save the rest, he paused when he received an incoming hail.

" _Number 60 reporting. The pods have been safely transported and the science team has been extracted. Command is asking for an update on your current situation."_

He was glad for that. "This is Number 274. We are currently in the middle of securing the distraction team but we're still under lock down. A lot of operatives are down and we can't secure them all unless the hangar opens."

There was a pause. "Is Number 362 with you?" When Chad gave the affirmative it seemed as if Patton's next response was much more calm. "I'm still on the station. There had been a technical problem so I stayed behind. 209 has suggested that we can filter power through the hangar and open it at the risk of launching warp."

They wouldn't have much time to get everyone out before the station went into warp to god knows where if they utilized that option. As the last of the firing ceased, Chad issued his next set of orders to him. "Number 60, head down to engineering and initialize the warp core. Then I want you to double time it back to the hangar. Keep your suit on for radiation. No heroics."

"Understood."

Closing the comm, he took a heavy breath and glanced at the prone forms of Fanny and Virginia before dealing with the semi-conscious Jason, pulling up his Utility Watch to check for the extent of his injuries. He was their reigning commander. His life was the most important to protect.

"Just a scratch," Jason murmured. Chad wasn't amused. His suit was extensively damaged and his oxygen was low. Rachel meandered with the others after clearing out the turrets to check the distraction team, but when she finally reached over to where Chad was kneeling beside, she forced herself from uttering a small cry.

" _Fanny_." Her voice was pained when she rushed over, fingers splayed over the redhead's helmet to check if it was still operational. The screen indicated that power still remained and so was a heartbeat on both of them. He watched her shoulders slump in relief.

"She ran after Number 23 when she went down and got fired on," Jason coughed and tried to get up, but Chad held him down to avoid rupturing the suit further. "Just firing and firing but she kept on dragging her over until she just... collapsed."

"Just relax. We've got it handled." Rachel said quietly before getting up. She couldn't get emotional now. Not when they were still in need to get the injured out.

Chad waved her over. "Got a word in from Number 60. He's heading down to engineering to ignite the warp drive. That way the lock down would be overridden and we can get shuttles into the hangar."

She nodded, though she didn't like the idea of her friend still roaming somewhere on the station alone. "How long until warp?"

"After igniting? Fifteen minutes." That was really cutting it close for Patton to get his way back to the hangar for a pick up. He could tell she felt the same when she started to nibble on her bottom lip. "Focus, McKenzie. Right now we need to start lining the most injured out. We'll leave last." She nodded and immediately moved to find Reina as the ground beneath them began to come alive with a grumble and the shutters opened. Chad held his breath when Earth was revealed to them, hovering just below the station in a rush of white, brown, and blue.

"Alright! Everyone move out!" Reina yelled as the first of the shuttles quickly moved in. Pulling 100 against him, Chad led him to the medics pouring out and, once his mentor was in capable hands, he initiated the countdown on his watch before moving to help Rachel pick up Virginia and Fanny.

Ten minutes had passed as they quickly loaded up everyone. Some of the shuttles that were full had immediately left until there was only one shuttle left. Being one of the last operatives, Reina hopped onto the shuttle and beckoned Rachel and Chad over. "Five minutes guys! We gotta move!"

Rachel shook her head at Chad, her anxiety growing with each passing second. "Not without Patton!" Grimacing, Chad tried to hail him. "Number 60, what's your location?"

Static. He shook his head at her. They needed to go now before they were caught in the warp blast. That was when she desperately grabbed his arm. "We can't leave him, Chad! Please!" And then her eyes widened as she looked over his shoulder. "Chad! Look ou-!"

He had turned too slowly. Suddenly smacked hard on the face, Chad crashed onto the floor, seeing stars from such a heavy blow. He was sure that he had dislocated his jaw from the force. His vision blurred as opened his eyes and tried to focus, watching Rachel's profile swerve in a blurry haze as her attempt to shoot at the droid only caused it to advance on her and smack her aside as well. She fell to the floor with grunt and he struggled to get up as the droid advanced towards her.

That was when the station started to dip at a harsh degree.

With a surprised shout, Chad began to slide down the tip of the hangar with Rachel rolling not too far after him. He managed to smack his back against the railing and catch her before she was ditched from the artificial gravity and sent floating into space, his breath hitched and a pain exploding in his head from the hit.

Unable to maneuver from the angle, their shuttle was forced to retreat even as Reina threatened to kill the pilot.

Ignoring the dip, the droid used its magnetic state to stay upright against the floor and continued to walk at an unnatural angle towards them. Rachel looked to her left in Chad's arms to find her gun miraculously caught on the railing. With a desperate whine, she tried to reach over for it as the droid kept advancing towards them.

The tips of her fingers brushed the barrel but only just. She let out another frustrated cry when Chad tried to encourage her. "He's coming over."

"I know."

"He's raising a fist up."

"I know."

"Rachel..."

"I'm trying, dammit!"

His voice edged in panic as the droid stopped in front of them, fist aimed to smash his head clear into two. "Baby..."

Rachel growled and snapped at him. "I told you I was working on..." She looked up and paled. "...on ..." Chad forced her head down, hoping that the blow would get him instead of injuring her.

And then it paused, the sound of gunshots echoing from behind. Chad tilted his head up to see Patton purposefully sliding down the deck after them, gun pointed and constantly shooting. As the droid turned in distraction, Chad forced Rachel to the side, watching as her fingers finally grabbed the gun. Before the droid can turn around, she fired the rest of her electromagnetic pulse ammo into the droid. They twisted away as the metallic double fell over the railing and disappeared.

Patton continued to slide coolly down until the railing stopped him. He pocketed his gun as Rachel gaped at him. "Talk about a dramatic entrance!"

Chad snorted pitifully at the adoration she was giving the dark haired teen. "I've seen better." A woman's voice interrupted their reunion.

_Two minutes until station goes into warp. One minute until all open decks closes for immediate disembarkation to Alpha Centauri._

Panicking, Rachel tried to hail someone. Anyone. "Please, can anyone hear us? We're still in the hangar!"

There was no answer for a moment and her heart fell. The loud response startled her. " _Roger that! This is the great Hoagie Gilligan, the most awesome flyer in the history of planet E-A-R-!"_

" _Will you shut up and pick them up already?!"_  A more familiar voice was heard in the background: Abigail's. A loud rush of air later and they found a shuttle appearing before them that was nothing like HAWK's. It was a TND shuttle.

Moving at an angle only a pro pilot could attempt, they watched as Abby threw open the doors and quickly motioned to them. "Hurry guys!" Nodding, Chad made sure Rachel dropped first, grabbing her hands and easing her over the railing and into Abby and Kenny's waiting arms. Motioning for Patton to do the same, he looked back at the hangar, realizing that he was leaving a place he had thought he belonged.

"Chad!" He turned to find Rachel reaching out to him as the shutters began to close, brown eyes wide in fear and trepidation. Fear of losing him. Fear of losing each other. "Come on!"

He didn't want her to be afraid of him leaving anymore. Immediately jumping through just as the shutters finally closed, Chad felt her desperately grasp his suit as she pulled him in. With everyone secured, the shuttle immediately departed from the artificial gravity and back to Earth. HAWK from then on made this mission the most notable and most dangerous. But most of all, it was one of total triumph: nobody had been left behind.

And in a blink of an eye, the entire station vanished.


	30. Year Four - Interlude IV

**Year Four** \- Interlude IV

It had been two days of healing and patching up before Rachel was allowed to visit Fanny's room. The redhead was successfully out of recovery for radiation and burns, but had still been put under the induced coma when she visited. Patton had an ever remaining vigil at her side. Carrying the usual tray of food and coffee, she smiled fondly at him before passing a cup and making small talk about their own recovering wounds.

She didn't realize that she was bleeding until the medic took off her helmet and exclaimed at the blood running down the side of her face before tending to the large gash on her left eyebrow. It would leave a very distinctive scar, one that she didn't mind having. Neither did Chad.

"I like it," he had murmured, brushing a gentle thumb across the stitches. "but no more heroics, if you don't mind." It was easy for him to say considering his neck had become purplish from the strangulation and the right side of his face was blue and oozing something nasty from the punch of the drone.

Chad had passed by a few times with paperwork to find her snoozing over the railing of her bed, the rest of her bandages peeking out from under her sleeves. A slight wave of guilt would hit him as he silently watched her back gently move up and down while she dreamed, leaving behind her wounded body to god knows where. Everyone didn't come out unscathed; even the scientists had dealt with electrical burns and other problems on the way to the shuttles. It was the distraction team, however, who had the worst injuries.

Occasionally he would check up on Jason, who had finally been released only with a very severe recommendation from his doctor that he'd take it easy due to his head trauma. Because of this, Evy had literally grounded him on base and suspended all future missions much to his vexation. "I've got a concussion, I'm not on my deathbed!" His temperament only worsened when she started spoon feeding him mashed peas.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Chad paused by the door as he passed by the barracks, witnessing Evy attempt to feed her husband from a jar of baby food. "It's my head not my jaw that's hurt!"

Chad shook his head and continued on. This was his routine the past few days. Wake up, continue working on his report on Operation: DRAGNET, pass Fanny's room where sometimes Rachel and Patton would be vigilantly waiting for her to wake up, do his rounds, and then check on the state of the children who were currently being tended to. The results usually rounded out his day on a dark note.

"We've managed to get them out of suspended animation, but we have no idea how to get rid of the spore," Jacob had told him, handing the blond a datapad of their current results. "Unlike you, the spore has latched on to their hormonal processes and has taken effect on their physiology. They will not age and we may not be able to fix their mental functions until we do."

Chad glanced through the two-way mirror and took in each and every young face on the biobeds as they were being tended to by random scientists and doctors. "Then what do we do with them?" How could they tell the parents that they couldn't age and, worse, that they have developed violent tendencies almost to a literal hive mind mentality?

"We keep them," said a feminine voice. Chad looked over his shoulder to see an older woman clearly in her forties, a tinge of grey already lining the sides of her dark hair that was swept up into a very severe bun. From the way she walked and the way she held herself, even Chad knew that he shouldn't question her authority.

Her uniform was completely white in comparison to HAWK's darker colors. That usually meant someone very high in the chain of command. It also meant that she had met Mother and spoke to her on a daily basis. Jacob respectfully bowed and walked off, leaving her to the young protege called _Father_ as she stood beside him, gravely looking through the mirror.

"Some of the parents were ex-KND members and they have already been informed," she continued, her stern grey eyes softening in the glare of the window.

Chad followed suit, a tentative frown on his face. With his next question, he wasn't sure whether he wanted to know the answer to. "And the others?"

She didn't look at him, her gaze focused entirely on the children. "They never had their children. Until we can reverse this... whatever _this_ is, we will be decommissioning the memories of each child from the families' memory."

It was something he had expected would happen but it didn't stop him from flinching at her words, his gaze furious on her person as he snapped. Intense guilt had settled in his gut. It was so intense, he didn't care if the woman was someone to be respected. "That's not... we can't do this. Just erase these children from existence? I can't..." He couldn't imagine losing his child this way and just forget them without meaning to. It was wrong. It was unethical.

"You can't. _We_ can." She folded her arms behind her back, well aware of the tenseness in the air as their new Father refused to take in her words. "On the fourth bed. Do you see that girl? The one with the brown curls? Her mother has been worried sick the past year. So sick, she's neglected her own children for the one she lost. She may never get her daughter back, but we can alleviate her pain. Let's just hope it's temporary." She began to turn away, only pausing once when Chad spoke.

"And how do you know so much about that girl's family?"

She slowly closed her eyes. "Because she's my granddaughter." She turned to him, her gaze soft and compassionate. "Do not take this as an act of evil, nor an attempt to toss them aside. This is all we could do for now. So long as we're here, they will _never_ be forgotten. They are our children after all."

She left him with his thoughts. Those thoughts turned to guilt and anger. He couldn't do this; this responsibility that was forged onto him. What he had done... what he was going to do in the future. He pressed his forehead against the glass wondering if this was all his fault. Being a part of the GKND and unwittingly taking the children into Infinity's custody... if he didn't do it, would they have been fixed before the spores had taken effect? He may never know.

Anger raced up his body. With a frustrated snarl, he punched the glass with the palm of his hand, the pane only slightly wobbling from the force. This was his fault. If he hadn't played into Infinity's hands so easily... if he had questioned his orders at least once...

"Chad... " It took him a moment to turn at the soft sound, knowing that the voice belonged to disheveled blond hair and a shirt much too big to be worn on her delicate shoulders. She was wounded too because of him. The burns and cuts and bruises were from a mission that had been his fault in the first place. Rachel stepped forward and, unable to face her at the moment, tried to move past her. Not having that, she grabbed his arm. "Chad, stop. What's wrong?"

He shook his head because for the first time, he was at a loss for words. His confidence was crumbling with each passing moment with these comatose children. "I can't do this... this Father thing, HAWK... I can't. I'm screwing things up and I don't... I just can't." She refused to let him walk off and grabbed him hard by the arm.

"Don't..." Rachel muttered weakly, her eyes turning glassy. "Don't walk away. Not now." With what's going on with the children and Fanny still haven't waking up and everything, Chad giving up was the icing on the cake of problems all around. They needed to stay together, unite together. "Please. We need you."

"I need to do something," He stepped away from her, already feeling cold from the loss of contact. "It's too big, Rachel. This is too big. I can't handle this. I can't." His life was just falling into place so quickly. It was suffocating. All he wanted was to be something great and all it yield was more stress, more pain.

She hugged herself tightly when he pulled away and took a pained breath. "Alright." Forcing him wasn't what she wanted. He looked ready to bolt and never come back despite the fact that they had invested in so much. They couldn't just leave, but... "Hey," her voice was soft and when he turned, she offered a compassionate grin. "Take it easy, okay? You need a break. I'll get Evy to... well, I'll figure out something."

Chad mirrored her smile, but it was only for appearance's sake. A break. Maybe he needed that. "Thanks."

"Just... don't leave. Permanently." She squeezed herself tighter. "I don't want you to go, but I'll do whatever it takes. You're not alone, okay?"

He stepped forward and pulled her close, murmuring against her lips before he kissed them. "I know." With reluctance, he pulled away from her and started his long trek back to his office. Her heart heavy, she watched him pause to pinch the bridge of his nose before turning the corner and disappearing from sight.

It was a burden. She knew that. Turning back to watch the comatose children, she silently kept vigil over them for a few minutes. Whatever they had to do, at least they were safe here with Mother. _Humans_. With a final sigh, she made to return to Fanny's room, not paying attention when her shoulder came in contact with someone else's.

"Oh. I'm sorry!" Rachel bent down to pick up what looked like an antique purse. She stared at it curiously before handing it to what looked like a strong, yet frail old lady.

"Much obliged, my child. Thank you." Rachel's eyes widened at the old woman, whose features reminded her considerably like someone she was familiar with. Faded blond hair and familiar brown eyes.

"Grandma?"

The old woman chuckled. "Ah, in your eyes, I am. Rest assured my little one, I am not your grandmother." Her brown eyes, which looked so similar to her's, were warm and reassuring. It caused Rachel to smile fondly back, a sudden rush of familial love hitting her so quickly she almost didn't notice it. If this woman asked, she would give her life to her without a second's notice. Fortunately, she didn't ask this of her. "You look tired, Rachel. Get some rest. Everything will be fine."

She believed it. Despite everyone telling her so, it was this woman who she believed in the the most. She didn't know how some old woman who looked so much like her beloved grandmother stirred such a sense of protectiveness toward her, but she _believed_. "Okay." The old woman started to turn, but paused and waved dismissively at her, her lips pushed together in amused disapproval. "And eat something, sweetheart. You look like a stick."

Suffice to say, the first thing she did was grab something to eat at the cafeteria before turning in.

Why? She didn't know.

* * *

_Father - We have a request to ask of you._

It was from the Delightful Children. No, Delightful _Teens,_ who were almost adults. Chad had been in the process of logging out and going back home... wherever home was. It was currently his dorm, but it was anything but home. He had known what was already in store: a loud, arrogant dorm mate who kept trying to inappropriately coax Rachel whenever she visited and always stole his food out of the fridge when he was out of the room. Yeah, that was home alright. Taking a sabbatical in _Gamma Pi_ with the other frat boys was starting to sound more inviting in comparison.

He took a long glance at the email, sighed at the moniker, and sat back in his seat to look around his very hi-tech, very small office. A gift from HAWK for his participation in DRAGNET. They, quite literally, promoted him to Station Commander for his efforts. But, like his newfound giant stack of paperwork, he wasn't in the mood to deal with the Delightfuls now. He wasn't in the mood to deal with _anything_. Not HAWK, not his duties as Father, _nothing_.

Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he refocused back on the message, ready to just close it and move on. It was the second paragraph, however, that piqued his attention.

_We are becoming adults, but there is something wrong. We are restless and we know why. All we ask is for one night. You know you are able to do this. Recommission us one last time while we still have the time. In doing so, we have information. Information that may make or break your new position of power. Our Father is not done yet._

_And while we are recommissioned for one night, we will make it memorable. We want to be remembered for this. Anyone and everyone would be invited for our 16th birthday party. There will be no restrictions, no alliances, no enemies. It will be... a delightful get together._

This wasn't an easy request. Could he even do that? Chad crossed his legs and sat up straighter, feeling like this was a decision only a father could make. Not what _he_ would make. He could get in trouble for this. Extremely in trouble.

After a half hour of deliberations, he sent a quick reply back and then grabbed his jacket and keys before leaving for the recommissioning labs. While the Delightful Children were themselves for one night, so would he. He was not going to be Father, Number 274, no one.

For one night, he was just Chad Dickson. And it would be an unforgettable party.


	31. Year Four - Accountability

**Year Four** \- Accountability

Any qualms worrying about the consequences of his actions meant little to Chad at this very moment. Things have gone to hell and back so how would this be any more different than the destruction that he's caused so far?

He felt for the former Sector Z operatives, he truly did. This personal hell that they had to endure for so long was the harsh consequence of their loyalty to the KND and look what happened to them. They were little less than the very drones everyone had witnessed at the Base: cold and unfeeling and very much inhuman in their perfection. A living, cruel parody of what adults wished their children to become because it made their lives much more manageable, much more easy to control, and perfect to take care of.

Being a part of HAWK, he had an idea what had happened to the parents of those operatives. They likely had their memories removed of Sector Z just as history repeated itself with the children under stasis. And then, just like that, they were swept under the rug until a solution could be found be it months, years, even _decades_. It was pragmatic for someone like him to understand, but it was undoubtedly horrifying to think about. Sometimes he wondered if he was doing the right thing the way things were going so far.

There was nothing but a disgusted pity when he met them at Father's mansion, a home that should rightfully be his at some point, but one he would never step back into again after this night. He didn't see anything atypical of a party. In fact, everything looked like it was being settled for a quiet evening. That was what kept Chad on edge. If this wasn't a party, then it must be a trap.

"I can assure you, _Father_ , it is not a trap," their unified monotone did little to soothe his nerves, or maybe he was at his most vigilant due to the name. To be called _Father_ by them was unsettling. "We will let the party come to us. _BYOB_ , is the crudest twist of the phrase."

Chad frowned. "BYO…?" Bring Your Own… he couldn't believe his ears. Especially not from _them_. Did Father's absence really break some kind of hold over the Delightfuls after all? It must have for them to be seeking out an audience with him and inquire for that risky chance to try recommissioning again if not temporarily. The problem was HAWK's ruling on the matter. All recommissioning modules under their property couldn't be used unless one was eighteen years old. The Delightfuls was just shy of sixteen. "Why a party seriously? What do you hope to gain from it?"

"Destruction." Chad blinked a few times wondering if he was hearing correctly. "This mansion has too many memories. _Bad_ memories. We want it gone."

Well, that was one way of going about it. "And then where will you go afterwards?" The question of HAWK hung in the air. There was only one place they were going now: back into Mother's rightful custody no doubt. Maybe they were even to be tested on to seek a permanent cure if there was one available. There was no use waiting around for a fallen archvillain that they may or may not come back to if the contents of their email to him proved anything.

With a heavy sigh, he weighed the pros and cons before he stood up and fished for his pockets for the device, a little thing that looked like a cellphone. It even acted like one. "You ready then?" Good idea or not, something had to give. Maybe this was what they presently needed: an escape from reality. Even for one single night.

They stood together and stared him down in an absolute quiet as the device made a whining ring.

"Say _cheese_."

* * *

Fanny was finally conscious enough to complain about the food and the medical staff, so when Rachel received word that she was awake, she immediately pushed all conflicting thoughts she had about the mission and Chad's sudden crisis of character to see her.

She wasn't alone.

Before she even reached the ward, Patton had already arrived, or maybe he had always been there. He was an immovable force that neither ate nor slept until the people he cared about were safe again. When she saw the redhead upright and whining about trivial things, Rachel very nearly started to cry, and actually did when her best friend took one good look at her and then patronized Patton for the bandages around Rachel's arms.

"You dragged Number 23 to safety I hear!" she grinned and took Fanny's bandaged hand into her own. After a moment, she wiped the tears away with the other. "You old softy you!"

Caught in the act of doing good back in DRAGNET, Fanny gave a hitch of her shoulders and raised her nose up. "Aye… she was a lousy shot. An'... she was in the way of my own aim! Dragging 'er was just an afterthought!"

Patton rolled his eyes, but it was so quick, Rachel had honestly thought she imagined it. "Well, she's out in recovery now. She's going around calling you a hero." Now that _really_ did color Fanny's cheeks and she ended up sputtering in denial about it.

Rachel simply laughed.

The reunion wasn't long. One of the nurses on-call eventually ordered them out for continued observation of Fanny's injuries now that the worst was over. Rachel personally didn't envy whoever was in charge of taking care of the spitfire redhead. By the night's end, she wouldn't be surprised if she received communications from the Medical Ward begging for Fanny to be released into a regular hospital instead due to her demanding nature.

Ordering Patton off-duty for a full night's rest, Rachel dealt with whatever paperwork she had neglected the last few hours and then returned to the barracks. Barely anyone slept there unless it was for overnights, for they already had a place to rest within their own homes and their own families. She took advantage of the privacy by climbing up one of the top bunks and fiddling with her phone, debating whether she should contact Chad.

He wanted privacy, that she knew for certain, but sometimes she just wanted to grab him by the shoulders and knock some sense into him the Fanny Fulbright way. She wanted him to know that he wasn't alone in this. At the very least, not anymore. They were all going through this together.

Things, unfortunately, just weren't as simple. She had read his file multiple times to prove that theory. His psychological scars aren't something that can be easily banished away, not with the kind of life he lead that didn't sound so healthy, especially when he was so young doing it. She couldn't imagine a life like that herself, being a double no, _triple_ agent at the cost of her own identity.

With a frustrated sigh, she tucked her phone away. "Idiot," she mumbled. If he'd just talk about his feelings- it was a man thing, she supposed. It was a really _stupid_ man thing. Undoing the strap of her Utility Watch before she tucked in, she had a startling realization that caused her to sit up in alarm.

The holovid!

Fiddling with the interface, the face of the watch began to glow until a small hologram appeared, reliving Numbuh 362's conference with Infinity years ago that she had hastily recorded back on the Exobase. She fast forwarded it to where she left off and watched her younger self considering her answer before she turned down the offer to ascend.

"Why?" Infinity asked.

Rachel witnessed her younger self turning away from the boy and her hands clasped thoughtfully behind her back. "Why not?" she said after a long moment. "I'm needed here. With or without memories."

"Without your memories, how could you be needed for the Kids Next Door?" Infinity pressed on and, truly, Rachel wondered about the same thing. Her younger self only smiled a secret smile, one that she recognized quite plainly. It was the kind of smile she used whenever Harvey claimed he knew exactly what his gifts were under the Christmas tree and his guesses were completely off course. She knew _exactly_ what presents he would receive. Oddly, Numbuh 362 was exuding that same aura about her.

Her younger self's next answer was monumental into Rachel's decision regarding her possible recommissioning.

* * *

Not too long after, a heavy thrum of bass sounds caused the polished wood underneath him to rumble pleasantly beneath his feet.

They weren't kidding when they offered invitations to everyone and anyone. Predominantly teenagers, bodies began to pour in, carrying everything from DJ equipment to beverages to _dirt bikes_.

_Dirt bikes_ that were currently being used as a racing gimmick down the winding staircases of the mansion. People cheered and hung dangerously against the banisters while riders crashed into everything and anything from windows to furniture. The DJ then spun a heavy beat in the large ballroom where most of the party was gathering and they all danced and pounded down drinks while the DJ announced that tonight was going to be the most wild party in the history of the city. That might even be true the way it was going now.

The chaos brought peace to his mind. For the first time, the external sounds were distracting his thoughts, leaving him quite bare and acute to the rest of the world. He became strange when he wasn't allowed to plan and scheme. Chad kicked back on the couch in order to _supervise_ the event as what the Delightfuls, now a very angry and feral Sector Z, suggested he do before reveling in the party going. That was when a dirt bike suddenly revved right past him while he got comfy and crashed right through the glass doors to his left until it finally parked straight into the pool where people quickly jumped into after. People cheered loudly, but it was hardly entertaining for someone who's seen the best _and worst_ of motorcycle accidents.

"Looks like you need a drink," a very sultry voice said to his right. Chad rolled his head and found Cree in all her adult glory nursing a can of soda. _Possibly_ soda. One look at his critical expression proved her words. "More than a drink then," she teased and probably wondered why he must always analyze everything and everyone without a break in between. Perhaps that was why he was considered the best at what he did.

He should be alarmed, even angered at her presence. After her brutal chase of him during his ATB and the way she handled Rachel, he had half a mind to attack her. Number 274, however, was currently off-duty and so it left just Chad Dickson to do the song and dance of speaking to another human being without the guise of an agent. Which Chad persona he wanted to use tonight was debatable. The uncaring double agent? That might work. "Does Maurice know you're here?" he inquired coldly before taking the can she offered him. Cree simply snorted.

"He's not my keeper. I can do whatever I want." That was a surprising answer. Cree crossed her legs and chilled on the couch with him until someone turned on the giant plasma TV in front of them and switched through the channels. They ended up settling on an MTV lineup of party music, giving the illusion that they wall beyond them was even more full of party goers. The mansion was quickly gaining ground with all of these guests.

"Want to dance, Dickson?" she finally offered after a long minute. Her dark smile insinuated something much more than doing the two-step, however.

Chad's answer was blunt. "No." He didn't dance or party on his own volition and when he did, it was for a mission. They let the awkwardness hang for a moment and occasionally a pretty blond girl would pass by in a dress way too short for anyone's liking. That was when his thoughts began to drift back to Rachel back on base. She was probably curled into the sheets in the barracks dreaming away her injuries. Was she dreaming of him at this very moment?

After the tenth time the same blond girl partied right on past him, his illusions of Rachel in such a similar outfit ended pretty fast. Rachel would never be caught dead wearing such a short skirt. She'd wear jeans or some kind of pants instead because she was always self-conscious about her bare legs, a sentiment that he certainly did not share with her. Guilt hit him for a moment until he washed it down with his drink and grimaced at what he tasted. "What the heck is this?"

"Cola," Cree teased, her smirk growing with each sip he took. He found her answer highly unlikely.

Nevertheless, the can had been emptied five minutes later.

The party goers he knew a good number of them by name. Teen Ninjas, former KND, that rare TND operative curious about the rave going on in the parlor, they were all here. Neither were fighting which was a first, unless it was that unfortunate idiot who tried to dance with someone's girl. The fights usually ended when someone landed on some kind of furniture and breaking it completely under their weight. That usually brought great cheer to neighboring partiers.

This was Sector Z's gift to those trapped in alliance against each other Chad had realized. They wanted everyone to be normal for one night without the pressures of politics on their young shoulders. It was obvious because he and Cree were sharing space on a couch and they weren't trying to tear each other's throats out. In fact, she was downright enjoying her role as a kind of gateway to forgetting his troubles and offering him 'soda' in all sorts of flavors and colors.

The police was surprisingly nowhere to be found even as the party was reaching a climax of epic proportions. It had come to the point that there wasn't a single quiet bit of area that Chad could easily get through without squeezing against every random person in sight. Soon the lights had faded and the colors of glow sticks and strobe lights filtered through everything crevice from inside and out.

Cree's Miracle Sodas successfully banished any thought of whether someone was an ally or not. Everyone was just a sea of random faces who were simply having fun, a chaotic fun that befitted their wild teen years. Eventually Cree's presence became more of a familiar welcome than a hindrance and they eventually ended up laughing when she relived the night he overthrew Father and described the state of Cavallero's face with colorful detail.

"His nose was never the same after that!" she wheezed in between sips of her drink. "It looked like a bent golf club!" Chad nearly snorted his drink out his nose. With each laugh, she scooted closer to him and, despite his hazy state, knew all too well of those implications. She was always someone who enjoyed eating the eye-candy from afar, but she was never as determined before. It probably meant one thing.

"Had a tiff with Maurice?" he raised an eyebrow at her forward advances. Maurice's name seemed to magically snap her out of whatever spell she had herself under and she readjusted her seating with a huff.

"You think I'm some kind of idiot, don't you? You AND Maurice," she nursed her drink with a glare. _Now_ he was seeing the familiar Cree Lincoln. "I know what it's like to be used. Maurice was no exception."

Ah. "I see." Maurice's mission had always been to keep Cree on a tight leash. Somewhere, somehow down the line, she had figured that out if her angry expression was anything to go by. She may have even been more livid if it wasn't for the can in her hands. "You went strong for how many years? Can't be all what you think it might be." Even Chad had to switch girls from time to time in order to avoid those unnecessary strings that came with a long-term relationship. But Maurice had always been adamant that Cree was too dangerous of an opponent to switch off on and, eventually, the TND's last director of operations allowed him to go truly steady with Cree. Those excuses were really telling for every year passed that they had been together.

Cree, obviously, didn't see what Chad saw behind the scenes. "You mean _fake_? He and my sister are glued to the hip now. After Father…" her lips curled into a sneer. "the _last_ Father disappeared, that was when we started smoking out spies like you. You'd be surprised how many disloyal dogs we found to our cause after your little stint. Maurice wanted to ally with you so badly after that bit in the convention, I knew something was up. So what is it? A secret faction? The Adults Next Door? You didn't have a use for my skills? I want to know." Her anger was growing with each sentence.

"You're loyal to _Father_. That's all you need." Now he was speaking in third person. _Horrible._ Truthfully, he didn't know why Cree wasn't tapped by HAWK after she defected. Maybe was too evil or something. Perhaps it was time for him to go through the proper channels if he wasn't already fired for what he had done to Sector Z. He gave his can a disgruntled look before downing it again. "Unless you doubt my power?"

"I doubt your _loyalty_. There's a fine difference." Cree had always been a shrewd woman. Clever, but easily moved by her emotions. That made her great for combat, but horrible at espionage. "Who do you really work for?"

Chad picked his words carefully and then shook his empty can at her, a charming grin well used to deflect the hard questions. "Next round. _Surprise me._ "

* * *

The next mission came all too soon. There was a disturbance in the Delightfuls' Mansion. Interestingly enough, it was a party gone out of control.

Rachel zipped up her new uniform. The bodice was new and designed to withstand heat and all sorts of volatile environments for the worst of scenarios. For something as simple as a party? It was perfect for a test round according to Evy. After DRAGNET, Evy's query about updating the uniforms were a landslide in for approval and this was a prototype for the espionage division after Rachel's report about how their suits were too easily weak when it came to extreme heat.

She was slipping on her boots when Patton entered the barracks, already dressed in his riot gear and ready to go. He had what, a couple hours of sleep? Yet he looked as fresh as a daisy. She might have to ask for his secret to that one day.

"Mission specs," he said with a cool professionalism when he handed her the datapad. "The police have been encouraged to stand down."

She raised an eyebrow before glancing at the synopsis. "Why?" The answer was already spelled out to her. Most of the party goers had some affiliation to the cause be it KND, their lot, or their adversaries. It was like the Delightfuls _expected_ this to happen. " _A party designed to be neutral_ ," she read out the specs. "At least, that's what the inside informants have decided otherwise."

Patton started to crack his knuckles, psyching himself out for combat. He was like Fanny in every sense of the name, though the only difference was the expressionless mask and the cool demeanor under pressure. Was he like this as an operative once upon a time? Maybe one day she'd find out.

The rest of the specs were a bit alarming. The Delightfuls had also been temporarily recommissioned. That meant someone had reinstated them with their tech-someone high up the chain of command. Rachel sighed in disappointment. She hoped it wasn't who she thought it was. "Well, this invitation _does_ apply to us in a sense. Best we not disappoint, yeah?"

Her comrade nodded. "I'm all for a little party crashing myself."

Poor Fanny. She would have _loved_ this mission.

* * *

Eventually their little territory of a couch became swarmed with couples so both Chad and Cree ended up at what used to be a very classy bar in the study. Now, it was its own mini party for the more older crowd. The college students there were still rowdy, but knew how to pace themselves for a long simmer of a night instead of crashing and burning like the younger ones.

The bar was loaded with all sorts of beverages he was pretty sure were hot enough to be illegal if the occasional thief who dropped by to escape with a cache of goodies from Father's secret stash under the bar was any indication. Trying to settle in, Chad had encouraged a very dizzying teen off one of the bar stools to go dance in the large mosh behind them. It didn't take long to persuade him and, feeling extremely proud at his tact, took the now unoccupied seat for himself.

Cree easily slid over the bar. Much to Chad's amusement, she seemed to be in her element pretending to be a legit bartender. The illusion kept on once more people visited them and soon enough, Cree actually ended up mixing drinks when people ordered while she and Chad talked about nonsense in particular.

"So…" Chad had long reached the point where he was completely one with the universe which was a first in a very long time. The 'soda' had loosened his tongue and attitude considerably. "Where'd you learn to mix?"

"College."

"Ah." _Duh._

Cree handed him a drink that seemed to look like actual soda, but he caught on real quickly when it came to appearances. What it really was long since mattered, however, since he just pounded down whatever she gave him easily. "So…" she teased, stealing his opening and leaning against the counter. He wanted to laugh at how much she looked like an old school bartender listening to the woes of her customers. "How's your girl? Or did you finally ditch her like all the others?"

It took a moment for Chad to concentrate on the question, blinking away what felt like pure sluggishness. "She's… not like the others." He shook his head and revealed a very lazy grin. "Not a single one." And it brought a longing the more he talked about her, wishing to find her leg comfortably bumping against his while she lightly swayed to the music against his side. She wouldn't have recognized any of the popular artists, but she would try to dance to it anyways trying to prove that she was hip and cool too. He'd probably spend the next hour just watching her make a fool of herself, but it would be nothing short than the most adorable thing in the room. Maybe she wasn't the type to hold her 'soda' either and she'd end up giggling like a loon after the first sip.

He imagined her sliding down his side a bit, needing his arm around her before she fell off her seat and end up giggling into the floor. She wouldn't be worried about anything when he was around. He'd always take care of her and keep her safe… even when drunk.

This, however, was reality. He was here alone and enjoying himself while she was back on base watching over Fanny. Everything was all twisted around and wrong. What the heck was he doing here anyways?

"So why isn't she here?" Cree propped her chin on her palm, swaying just as much as Chad was, but only just. She was exceedingly good at holding whatever she imbibed thanks to experience. "She too uptight like Maurice and can't handle a bit of adult fun?"

But Rachel wasn't an adult yet which he slurred out to Cree. She rolled her eyes. "Look around, Dickson! Do you see _just_ adults?" There was a random scream. Someone had been swinging on what looked like an antique chandelier and eventually that caved down into the crowd. The party continued without a hitch though. They've barely blinked at dirt bikes and catapulting into the pool from the roof so destruction of property was the least of their worries now. Instead the crowd around the fallen male simply cheered him on for his stupidity and got back to partying.

Chad turned back from the bar to find Maurice staring over him, his features etched in displeasure. "Heeey! Maurice! Looks like you're not uptight after all!" Cree fell onto the counter in a fit of giggles. It was such a perfect bit of timing that even Chad grinned stupidly at such a stroke of pure destiny.

Maurice looked between them and then frowned. "Seriously?" he demanded. "Guys, you understand the whole place is getting trashed right?"

Cree scoffed and then laughed again. "Who cares? S'not our house!" Chad nodded at such perfect logic before another induced bubbling of laughter left him again before he could suppress it. Maurice didn't need to put two and two together to see what was going on.

"I see you've welcomed yourself to Father's preferred stash," his voice was far from disappointed. "Dickson, you're free to come with if you don't want to continue acting like a donkey, but I've been ordered to take Cree home. Let's go."

Her laughter immediately ceased and she snapped her head at Maurice, sobering up. "Is that so?!" Cree's demeanor changed so quickly, Chad had to blink hard to keep up with the sudden change in atmosphere. Was she not in a good mood a few seconds earlier? She shoved herself away from the counter in disgust. "And who ordered that? Little Abby? Of course she would," Cree sneered. "you tell your little KND goody two-shoes girlfriend to mind her own damn business for once! I'm an _adult_!

"You're definitely not acting like one," Maurice had countered and both young men realized how explosively consequential the words were to someone like Cree. She immediately procured a bottle of Jack from the shelf and tossed it hard at Maurice which he dodged with an easy grace befitting his operative status. Chad wasn't so lucky and ungracefully slipped off of his seat when the bottle crashed onto the floor behind him, barely making a sound against the heavy music. He stared sadly at the waste of a full bottle.

"GO AWAY MAURICE!" she screamed and armed herself with a glass tumbler this time. While Chad wasn't in a very good state of reasoning, he was pretty sure Maurice couldn't dodge all _one hundred_ of those things hanging on the shelf behind her. "I know who you are! You traitorous scumbag! You… you… you _user_! You used me as just another mission! Nothing about you is real!"

Maurice had the decency to grimace at her words. "Cree…"

Chad sympathized with Cree and nearly fell over again when he did. He had been used too. By both the KND, the GKND, just one after the other. How was that any different from Cree's plight, who honestly believed that her high school sweetheart cared for her? When Maurice advanced, Chad slipped out of his seat and got up close and personal with his former friend. "Hey… leave her alone, Maurice. Let her do what she wants."

Another wrong thing to say.

Eyes flashing in warning, Maurice leaned close practically daring Chad to make another move lest he ended up draped over the bar. "Stay out of this Dickson."

"You want a go?" Chad egged him on. "C'mon Payton, give me a reason. Because your _holier than art thou_ attitude is really pissing me off."

Maurice shook his head in disgust. "Is that how it is, Chad? You going to _fight_ me while _drunk_?"

"I've fought in worse circumstances." The undercurrent flash of unnatural blue in his eyes seemed to make Maurice a tad guilty of the implications. It wasn't exactly fair to launch half of the Teen Ninjas after him while he was obviously _dying_ under the infliction of the S-Spore. They both knew the desperation that brought them up to this point but it was still a raw fissure in their lives personally. "Back off, homeboy," Chad continued with a growl. "The lady doesn't want to go anywhere with you."

"Back off yourself. This isn't your business," Maurice snapped back. "So this is what the great Chad Dickson's become? You get weepy over a mission and decide to hit the bottle, is that it?"

He hit below the belt this time and was rewarded with a harsh shove for his troubles. Two could play at that game. "You don't know a damn thing, Payton. You got all cozy in your command seat while your people nearly got killed. _I_ saved their asses. _Me_."

"You're full of yourself." The slew of insults were smacking hard on both of their defenses that did little more than peak Cree's attention as they went at it. "And you _wonder_ why they picked Uno over you." Their friendship now laid out on cold slab they seemed to be taking terms stabbing at it until they actually _did_ end up in a physical confrontation. Chad's fingers began to close tightly into fists, his inebriated state only a mild side effect now that Maurice got his full attention. He was more than read to take Maurice on and then some.

Finally, Cree decided to wisely step in to defuse the situation. "Your alpha male problems _bore_ me," she muttered with a lazy yawn. "Why don't you take your fight somewhere else where I can't see. I'm here to have fun, not referee your fractured bromance." And, handing Chad one more of her specialized drinks, she slid off the bar and disappeared into the throng of people so easily, Maurice would have an extremely difficult time ever finding her again.

With a huff of mild irritation, Chad took a step back and returned to his seat, oddly satisfied with what just happened. "Sorry I messed up your current mission," he punctuated his words with a sneer and drove the point home. "Maybe I'm done with you treating Cree like she's someone who needs to be leashed."

"Spare me your delusions," Maurice growled. "You did the _same_ thing with Roxy and Sapphire and all the other girls. How did you think _they_ felt?"

The blond let out a sharp laugh. "Oh, that's rich. Here's a lesson I learned the first time I mixed my personal life with my professional one: I never once told them it was forever. I never spun a story about how I wanted to marry them or do anything more interesting than what was on the table and I definitely didn't play the wholesome good boy who could sweep them off their feet for a better life. That, my friend, was all on you." He took another swig of his drink. "If you cared about Cree so much, you would have told her sooner than have her find out later."

Maurice said nothing, so Chad continued, though it seemed to be for his own benefit than his former best friend. "You know what I learned the last hour? She's got it so bad for you, it's almost painful to hear. Was it an act? I gotta know. Is it?" His continued silence said enough. "You better turn back around if it was an act. Either way, quit the mission and look for her because you want to, not because Numbuh 5 ordered you to."

Eventually, even Chad stopped speaking and they let the music seep into the bar to break the tension. Both men stared at the bar just thinking until Maurice decided to part.

"You should get drunk more often."

Chad snorted and returned to his drink. What was he a couple's therapist? Shaking his head, he returned to his drunken suffering, but even that was cut short. It seemed that no matter where he went, someone _had_ to recognize him, someone _had_ to demand something of him.

He sure as heck wasn't anticipating being pulled around by Kuki Sanban of all people, who looked so distraught that it caught him completely off guard. "Wha…?"

"Please!" Kuki cried desperately and pulled at his shirt. "They said you could help me! I want to join your organization!"


	32. Year Four - Sanity

**Year Four** \- Sanity

"Please! They said you could help me! I want to join your organization!"

The drink had dulled his once razor-sharp senses however, and all manner of being secretive was far gone out the window. Chad slumped against the bar and played with his glass, a sharp laugh escaping his throat. "Whaaat? Why? It's… it s'not a tea party, kid." The idea made him laugh even more, imagining Jason in a frilly apron being forced to serve tea to one of the scientists.

Kuki was well aware of Chad's inebriated state and she couldn't understand for the life of her why he was doing this when they just suffered one of the most traumatic experience of their lives together. She clung to what was left of his sense of compassion… and his brain cells. "Please… my parents… they don't remember Mushi anymore! They thought I was crazy when I asked! And your people… they tried to do the same to me like they did to my parents, but Wally helped me get away. Please tell me what's going on! You have my sister, I know you do! She's real!" She practically was on the verge of tears. " _Let me see her please!_ "

Why he didn't realize the reason she sought him out in the first place made Chad chuckle bitterly, her words slowly sobering him up. Another drink should sort that out. Cree had already slid him a shot of something blue before departing. It reminded him of that shirt Rachel sometimes wore that he absolutely loved. He _had_ to pound it down now to suppress the memory. "Best you don't bother, Numbuh… Numbuh… one of Uno-dos-tres… _Tres_ , that's what you are." He even offered her three of his fingers just in case she needed to physically count them. At this rate, he was going to need to himself.

"Hey!" This time someone had practically pulled him out of his seat with surprising force, forcing him to stand unsteadily and face a very irate blond boy. "You think this is a joke?!" Wally snarled. "You were there! What's going on with the kids we saved?! Why are people forgetting about them?!" For emphasis, he grabbed the front of Chad's shirt who, in turn, looked at him with glassy eyes. "Don't you care, you piece of-?"

"Wally!" Kuki warned, fighting back tears, but he ignored her.

"Why are you even here?!" Wally demanded. "Aren't you some kind of secret operative?! You're getting DRUNK off your ass while everyone else is suffering!"

That got Chad out of his pleasantly numb state and switched into pure rage. He shoved the younger boy aside. "You don't know HALF of what I've been through you… you raging kangaroo!" he snarled, done with people attacking him about this. "There is NOTHING I can do. Do you hear me?! NOTHING. I. CAN. DO."

Wally sneered, giving Chad a reciprocating shrug. "All _I'M_ hearing is the sound of me wiping the floor with a worthless drunken trumped up piece of-"

"Tough words for a dim-witted buffoon." Chad growled. Despite the swaying of the world around him, he was more than ready to beat the snot out of the teen. "You wanna back that up? Three hits, kid, that's all I need to clean you out. Me hitting you, you hitting two floors down-"

That set Wally off. The younger man launched himself at Chad but even in his inebriated state, he was still faster; _stronger_. He used the momentum to grab Wally's outstretched arm when he missed and punched him square in the gut. "You might have been one of the best fighters in the day," Chad snarled at the prone teen on the floor, uncaring of whatever parameters he just broke by revealing the KND. "but you're _worthless_ without your memories, punk."

Kuki's cries did nothing as Wally didn't even double down. Struggling back to his feet, Chad had to admit that the kid had guts to come back fighting when he bodily shoved Chad back against the bar.

"Please stop!"

A crowd began to gather, both teen and operative either cheering or rallying them on to see who was the better brawler. "Come on!" Chad bellowed over the music, allowing Wally to wipe a bit of blood off his lip and gesture with a sneer for round two.

Kuki's cries to stop the fight was drowned out by the spectators, but it didn't last long. The more Wally instigated, the further it seemed at the prospect of seeing her little sister again. Screwing her courage, she shoved her way into the fight and let her nails do the talking, clawing their way up Wally's arm until he had no choice but to howl in pain and fall back. "OW! Kuki! What the heck was that-"

"That's enough!" The crowd parted slightly to accommodate such a familiar voice. Chad, head still fuzzy, wondered if he'd heard the voice correct. Even Wally and Kuki seemed a taken back, unconsciously searching for a face of that authoritative voice they should no longer remember anymore.

Rachel made her way through the crowd, purpose in her step. Taking in the whole venue with a dispassionate glance, she looked out of place in her HAWK bodysuit. There were a couple of wolf whistles but one warning glance shut the perpetrators up real quickly. Her focus, undoubtedly, was on her inebriated commander.

The only thing he could comprehend was how Numbuh 362 she looked doing it. That pissed him off just a bit. If he had to welcome one person into his current sorry state of mind, it would be Rachel, not the leader who was still in love with his arch-nemesis. He turned away and back to the bar, hearing the DJ announce trouble between songs.

"Looks like we've got ourselves some party crashers ladies and gents!" The crowd around the DJ booed as more people dressed like Rachel started seep into the crowd, ready for damage control. "Ain't anybody tell you, MIB? This here's a PAR-TAY, not a STING operation!" Rallying up against a party shutdown, the crowd screamed and cheered and set up ready for a pulsating beat until sunrise whether HAWK wanted them to or not.

Rachel ignored the DJ and finally stepped into Chad's personal space, who looked insufferably drunk and extremely angry. "Kuki," she turned toward the two younger teens. "I think, once Wally settles down, you can come with us to base. We will provide asylum with your request to see your sister in exchange for your services of course." Rachel spoke with such easiness, it calmed both Wally and Kuki, but brought Chad on edge. It was like she now lived and breathed HAWK's agenda now.

With a grateful sob, Kuki took Rachel's hand and shook it. "Oh thank you! I'll do anything you want I swear!" Wally grumbled sheepishly before following her out with one of HAWK's agents before snapping a venomous glare at Chad's back.

Wally was no longer a point of interest to him. Instead, he could acutely feel the burn of Rachel's side against him when she took a seat and remembered the fantasy he had previously of a night on the town with her.

"I think that's against the law." She finally spoke to him alongside the under beat of the music, but Chad heard her quite clearly. There was nothing about her he could readily ignore so easily anymore.

"I'm old enough to drink coke, thanks officer." His words were slurred and bitter before he downed his next drink.

"Coke, yes. Jack and coke, no." She placed a hand on his shoulder which he tried to shrug off. He wasn't in the mood for therapy at the moment. Just one night of relaxing and not… thinking of everything at once. The hand returned, this time tightening with purpose. "Why are you here?" he demanded.

"Because this is an illegal party and HAWK has ordered us to shut it down." She said nothing else about the security breach and one of the missing recommissioning modules. Even _Mother_ had known what had transpired. "This party's getting out of hand. We've got people recommissioning each other left and right with the device and if word gets out that almost everyone was a decommissioned KND agent…"

"S'only temporary," Chad waved her rambling aside. "They'll forget in the morning."

She wasn't amused by how blase he was treating this. He was definitely not the Chad Dickson she knew. Her eyes darkened. "On your feet, soldier. _Now_." And when he didn't comply the first time, she made sure he did the second time, grabbing his jacket and forcing him out of his seat with a half-hearted protest. This was literally the third time he's been launched out of his seat. He couldn't get one single break tonight.

"Look at you, being all Numbuh 362," Chad slurred against her, his words bitter. "Pretty sure you were decommissioned to get away from that, not relive it. You're gonna regret ever knowing me when you recommish."

"And just how do you know what I'm going to think with my memories back?" Rachel sharply turned, having had enough of people claiming who she was or what she was going to be otherwise. "Was 362 really so stubborn that she wouldn't take _me_ in to account?"

"I dunno," Chad sneered, more annoyed with himself than her. "I'm not Numbuh 362." She certainly wouldn't have approved of a man she was involved with drinking himself stupid… but maybe Rachel was the same as well. Disapproval and disappointment were blatantly being exuded from her person the more he happily rubbed shoulders with her. That hit him harder than he'd like to admit.

Rachel had managed to pull Chad away from the heavy partying inside and into the garden where a very tacky looking statue of Father stood in the middle of courtyard, bearing down at them still with a stony stare. Chad glared at the smug bastard and stumbled away from Rachel to approach it.

She let out a long suffering sigh. "Chad…" But he wasn't listening, too busy concentrating on the statue and what it represented.

He tossed his can at it, only managing to nick it on the shoulder by pure luck alone. It had reached the point where he was too uncoordinated for something as simple as throwing things now. That was when his anger peaked and the frustration started pouring in. Grabbing whatever was close by, he started throwing things at the statue from gardening tools to even his own watch. Rachel's lips pursed as the delicate pieces smashed into bits against stone.

"How does it feel?!" Chad yelled at the statue, imagining it as the actual thing. "How does it feel to know that someone like _me_ took your job because you were an incompetent ass?!" Everything that was bottled up was finally being released in an explosion of anger and distress. It was something that was _long_ overdue. "You couldn't do right by anything! You pathetic waste of space!" And then, in his fractured state of mind, the statue turned into _Infinity_. With renewed hate, he started powering up, a familiar energy pulsating from his fingertips.

Rachel's shoulders hitched up stiffly in alarm.

"And you!" he continued in a fit of drunken rage. "You traitorous snake! You could've had _me_ instead of that idiot Uno! I was the greatest operative in the KND and you WASTED it. You wasted it all!" With a burst of power, one of the statue's arms exploded in a rush of ice and stone.

Rachel continued to carefully hover behind, out of Chad's way and watching with a subdued expression as Chad finally let everything out. Years of anger and betrayal all accumulated to this moment. He needed this outlet years ago. Barely a flinch left her shoulders again when Chad shot the other arm off, his blue eyes glowing with unnatural energy.

And then it was Uno who was staring down at him, armless but still exuding the ability to be better than Chad. Always better than Chad. " _You._ I hate you the most!" he snarled brokenly. "You took EVERYTHING from me. You hate me you son of a bitch?! I wasn't the one who left the girl I loved behind! If you cared for any of the people who loved you, why the hell did you leave them behind you selfish son of a-?!" Every word was punctuated by a blast of energy until the statue was nothing but a smoking hulk of ice and debris.

He fell to his knees on the cold hard ground, exhausted and just… _done_. There was no more anger to release and it just left a yawning chasm of despair now that his true feelings had surfaced. "Why didn't you just let me go instead?! I had nothing… it would have been easy." No one would be hurt or missing something if Chad had gone instead. No one would have missed him liked they missed Nigel Uno now. "Why couldn't I have been the hero for once?"

That was when something warm pressed against his back, a solid weight that despite the ground under him, was what kept him from losing his balance on everything. Even warmer fingers bled into his jacket and traced gently in patterns on his shoulders that seemed to soothe away whatever residual hurt and anger was buried into his muscles.

But it was the soft warm breath against the back of his neck stirred him to life. "You're a hero, Chad. Just not the hero you were expecting to be." That caused him to incline his head and see a few wisps of soft blond hair draped over his shoulder. "You saved everyone you could during DRAGNET to the best of your ability. You didn't waver, you didn't give up. You need to stop this self-destruction that's tearing you from the inside out." She turned him with a roughness he didn't expect from her, those brown eyes glimmering with something akin to frustration and pity and _love_.

Pure, unconditional love.

"If it wasn't for you, I…" She couldn't put into words how big of an impact he was in her life. It wasn't even the romantic aspect of it that compelled her to him. His strength and convictions made her want to do the same. Sacrificing everything for others-she was inspired by it. She wanted to protect everything she loved too. "Reaching this point, becoming who I am as a part of HAWK… I couldn't do it without you. Yes it's hard, it can even be unbearable, but to protect everyone… to protect Earth… I know the sacrifice is worth it."

His eyes widened. Sacrifice.

_Numbuh 274 gave a derisive snort at the long winded answer one of the new recruits had given him and waved the poor kid aside. Was there no one who can provide a decent answer to such a simple question?_

_He was near the end of hoping when a young blond girl approached, her back straight and proud at parade rest. Some of the instructors have noted that this particular recruit was adaptive in areas for espionage. Good. It had been awhile since they had a decent handful of spies within their ranks._

_With a click of his pen, he focused less on her and on the paperwork in front of him, unaware of the massive impact this simple cadet would have in his life for many years to come. "Alright cadet. Describe in one word how you would best describe the Kids Next Door?" He closed his eyes and barely retained a sigh at the typical silence, anticipating that she was one of those kids who froze up from stage fright. What she did say surprised him. It was quiet, almost wistful, a finality that summed up everything and yet nothing of worth at this very moment._

" _Sacrifice."_

_His eyes widened and finally snapped in attention to the blond girl, her own brown eyes glimmering with something that should be attributed to that word alone._

He saw that same expression in those eyes right now. Hope. Unconditional hope. Hope for the best in mankind, hope for the children and adults, hope for something of worth at the end of it all.

Hope for _him_.

"Let's protect this world _together_ , Chad." Her smile was grave, but determined. "If not the stars, then our home."

He thought about his parents. He thought about Maurice and Jason and Evy… he thought about his fellow operatives at HAWK and even the villains who had decided to follow him without fail. He thought about Mother and the children who may never wake up again.

But most of all, he thought about Rachel. She and all of them resided here on Earth. He thought about Nigel and the people he left behind. Would he wish to switch places with Uno knowing what he did now? A steady hand clasped her's.

No. He wouldn't. He was needed here. Everyone needed him here. They needed Number 274. They needed a new Father, one that wouldn't corrupt the foundation they once had for his own selfish gain.

And she needed Chad Dickson.

"Okay," Chad breathed, feeling for the first time in his life, renewed with purpose. A reason to fight. "We'll do it together." Her warm arms began to engulf him, paying gentle attention to his still bruised throat. So long as someone somewhere believed in him still, he'd keep fighting until his very last breath. She truly believed in him.

In doing so, she was dragging the old Numbuh 274 out from the woodwork kicking and screaming until he grew up and faced what he was meant to do. He was meant to lead and protect and if becoming Father completely was his destiny then so be it.

So long as she was there to help him keep to this path, he'd do it without hesitation. This was his final stage. His childhood had long since gone. It was time to grow up and be the adult that people can depend on; that _she_ could depend on.

* * *

The rest of the night he had no other recollection of except of the vivid memory of burying the bitter hate he had harbored for most of his life. It had burned following the rising sun of a new day when he woke up the following morning. That memory was too important to readily forget from a night of drinking and so while the other memories faded and blurred together, his subconscious kept the memory in careful vigilance.

He remembered the promise he made.

It was the barracks he woke up to instead of his dorm room complete with a pounding head and the need to empty out his stomach in the nearest washroom. That was where Rachel found him.

She spent the next few minutes amusing herself by watching him spend some needed quality time with the standard issue toilet.

"This is the men's bathroom," Chad grumbled out, forehead sliding across the porcelain when a warm hand pressed between his bare shoulder blades. At least, he _hoped_ it was Rachel. It was going to make for extremely awkward conversation if it was _Jason_ rubbing at his back so lovingly.

Her voice was soft and muted, which he was grateful for. Anything higher than a whisper was sure to aggravate his headache even more. "You can write me up if you want, Commander."

The indication of his new rank brought him back to reality. "Am I fired?" His voice must have sounded parched because he was suddenly given an aspirin and water to drown down. Despite the apprehension growing in the pit of his stomach, his headache thanked her by greedily taking the offering of medicine.

"Why?" Rachel asked dubiously. "You were never there." Pausing in mid-chug, faded blue eyes matched those mischievous brown ones.

He had never pegged her to _lie on report_. Then again, she wasn't Numbuh 362. One day, he needed to remember this. " _Rachel._ "

" _Commander._ " They stared each other for a long moment, his in profound disbelief and her's with something akin to playfulness. Eventually she elaborated his confusion in clipped tones. "You infiltrated the party to seek Sector Z and the culprit who stole our recommissioning technology. Unfortunately, you were unable to complete your mission due to a mixture of post-traumatic stress from DRAGNET and an unfortunate case of the stomach flu. I had no choice but to dismiss you for medical leave and assume the mission myself."

Chad blinked once, twice, three times wondering where Rachel McKenzie was and who was the pod-person infiltrating her body. "And that's on report?"

She nodded. "With a signed confession from the Delightful Child- _Teens_. They would not reveal who they were able to tap, however, they have expressed that they wish no threat towards HAWK or their new Father. I would request that you sign off on it once you are able, sir."

This ruse she was spanning was making his head spin quite a bit. "...sure." It was obvious who was in complete charge at the moment. The hand on his back started to rub at his shoulder blades, a stark contrast to the clinical tone Rachel was sporting. He tried not to purr at such gentleness. That would be unbecoming of his rank… one that he somehow miraculously kept thanks to Rachel's fib.

It was almost as unbecoming as talking beside a toilet as a conversation piece.

"Everyone deserves a break," Rachel smiled gently, that famous compassion bleeding through once again. "Even _heroes_." His head snapped up and he wished he hadn't done it. The pounding became even more severe. "Take the day to rest, Chad. You deserve it, even if you don't think so." Maybe he can finally pay attention to the people around him and the praise they still sang of his valiant act of heroism from DRAGNET. That hadn't changed. Not at all.

He slept a bit more afterwards while Rachel dealt with damage control, more at ease that his actions didn't get him locked up in the brig at the very least. Once the nausea settled, he was already up and running with paperwork, popping aspirin every once in awhile from the leftover hangover.

No, he still had work to do. Laying down and dreaming the world away was only meant for the young. Treating the back of his neck with an ice bag to soothe his frazzled nerves, Chad's new dossier indicated two new recruits under his command: Kuki Sanban and Wallabee Beetles. His memory was still shot to heck, but he remembered them vividly, the Japanese girl's cries for her sister still ringing in his ears. They might be of use to them. Chad, at the very least, owed the poor girl something at the cost of his drunken actions.

There were a few emails to respond to while he nursed his headache. Squinting at the screen while his eyes adjusted to the light of his monitor, there were a few confidential responses from the higher chain of command… and an encrypted dossier from the Delightfuls.

They had kept their word about trading information for their little birthday party. His brow pinched at the contents, Chad scrolled down the file and suppressed a long suffering sigh at what he read. If the information was legit, they might be in trouble. Big trouble. There was no time for internal squabbling with the universe turning a hard eye on them.

The road to redemption was never the easiest. But when Rachel, Jason, and Evy returned to his office not with paperwork, but with some actual food and a board game to blow off some steam, he finally admitted to himself that he wasn't alone for the troubles ahead. Not really.

And that was _everything_ **.**


	33. Year Five - Morrow

**Year Five** \- Morrow

There was nothing comforting about this bleak and desolate room. It was large and crowded with many shadowed people of many shapes and sizes, but they all shared the same pose of parade rest, and they all gazed loyally to the lone throne at the end of the room whose steel back was turned to them.

A lithe young woman opened the heavy doors with a loud _bang_ and sashayed her way up the stairs. All eyes were suddenly on her, the only movement in this still as death procession. She stopped just short of the top and knelt in respect to the person hidden behind the high backed chair.

"The engineers are ready to start the project," her voice was soft but clear from the pure silence. "Whenever you are ready, sir."

She couldn't see his face, but she could hear the smirk in his response. A gloved hand fluttered out from the side of the throne and waved her off. "You have my blessing, XO."

"Yes sir."

The ensuing electrical charge from their experiment sucked up their generators at her command. As the lone light overhead in the throne room flickered obscenely before dying, their leader laughed loudly into the night as rolling blackouts of their own doing covered nearly the entire city.

* * *

Jason looked up at the mess hall's light fixtures. They were flashing obscenely before the typical whirring sounds of the base cried its death knell until there was suddenly darkness. Fellow operative voices around the mess hall began to panic and rise in commotion from the sudden blackout. Before he can shout out into the dark that everyone chill the heck out, the lights suddenly came back on and the electronics around him rebooted themselves loudly.

He frowned. "What the hell was that?"

As if on cue, Evy slid to his right and stole some of his cold fries. "The back up generators kicking in of course, hun. No need to get excited." She looked thoughtfully at the lights. "This power fluctuation has been getting our engineers' knickers in a twist the last few hours. They should get some kind of pay raise for their hard work tonight. This is what, the first time they failed to prevent the lights from going out?"

Brow furrowed in worry, Jason regarded his wife for a long moment. "Something wrong with the power?"

"Well… not _our_ power. Most of what we generate come from the hamsters. Cute little buggers. _Way_ more reliable than a city generator." Despite Jason's mounting concern about the power failure happening on base, Evy just happily continued on tapping away at her datapad without a care in the world. "But the engineers say all non-essential stuff like the lights we rely on are from the city's power grid. So if _we're_ experiencing power failure, so is the city."

Jason clicked his tongue in annoyance. "You _sure_ it's no big? No security breach or anything? A flaw in the system?"

"Nope! Diagnostics are clear!" Evy chirped. "Just a typical day on base. Sorry to disappoint your depleting testosterone level. You'll just have to vent out your frustrations in the gym."

"I would, but all the regulars are out today. Even _Chad_ ," Jason ruefully drank up his soda. Evy tried to bat it away, ready to tell him off for imbibing more junk food than necessary but he was having none of that today. Not when he got stuck on security detail while the _playoffs_ was going on tonight. Then again, if there was a blackout going on at least he wasn't alone in missing out on the games. "He said he's using his new commander payroll to move out of his dorm and rent out a bachelor pad in the upper east side. He's been off call all day moving in."

She smiled something suggestive. "Oh, I _know_ about all that. Rachel told me before she took an early out to go and ' _help'_ him out."

He forgot about his soda completely when he caught the look in Evy's eyes. "Oh really?" Jason's eyebrow climbed. "I know that gosh dang look. You implying something, Number 123?"

"Who me?" Evy feigned innocence. "Remember when moved into _our_ first apartment?"

"How can I forget?" Jason purred and kicked his boots up on the opposite chair as he relived the memory. "Is that what they're doing now? Keeping up with that 'tradition'?"

She simply giggled. "Well, it's not really something you can call _home_ if you're not breaking into all of your new furniture… in every room of the house."

* * *

And how right she was.

The entire apartment was covered in darkness save for a few candles lit up and placed around each room to avoid crashing into things. There were boxes strewn about, some of them opened, and the rest were stacked up into the small kitchen to avoid clutter.

A male voice was crooning a sultry song from an old fashioned radio, the only electronic thing able to work through this power outage due to its batteries. It ignited the atmosphere with its lyrics of romance and the promise of something more until the illusion was shattered by the sound of breaking wood and two voices hitching up in another round of laughter somewhere in the vicinity of the guest room.

"Stupid cheap furniture," Chad picked up the broken leg of the chair they were testing before tossing it into a large box labeled 'trash'. His blue eyes flashed appreciatively at the young woman standing over him before she moved into another fighting position. "Again?" he purred. "If we keep at this, I won't have any furniture left."

Rachel's smile was mischievous. It caused something in Chad's chest to beat quicker. "Put it on my tab," she teased. "I'll even buy you a whole new living room set if you want. _You_ need furniture with sufficient structural integrity should this place become a battleground for you to defend yourself."

A rush of longing hit him hard by those words. "Are you trying to seduce me with tactical defense? Because it's _working_." Only the perfect girl would go and make something like getting rid of old furniture a clever reason to turn his home into a forward base of operations.

Her brown eyes lit up with excitement and proudly climbed her way up his chest and tugged on his paint stained shirt. They had a lot of fun doing _that_ this afternoon if the black paint in her hair was any indication. "Want me to show you what Katherine taught me today?"

"Seriously? You're on first names now with that hard-ass?"

She flicked him on the forehead. "That's why she's good at what she does. Because she's a _hard-ass_." Rachel's mentor in muscle memory training was the oldest KND espionage agent HAWK had on their payroll. The woman was practically pushing into her late forties, but decades spent seriously honing her ability had kept her body as agile as a thirty year old… topped off with a _seventy year old_ patience to boot with her students. It wasn't exactly a good combination for the traditional slacker when she was keen in demanding you do a perfect back-spring on command or get the heck out of her training area.

He wasn't all that surprised that she became Number 846's little teacher's pet. If there was anyone who found joy dancing around the obstacle courses, it was Number 362. With an provocative smirk, Chad danced his own fingers down the strong sides of Rachel's waist and felt the taut muscle there before settling on her hips. "Show me."

And she did. With only a split second glimpse of her hips twisting around, he ended up on the opposite end of the floor on his back and blinking up at the ceiling. "What the-?"

Rachel knelt over him with such a proud smile, he couldn't muster the strength to finish his swearing. "You asked for it!"

Maybe teaching her counterbalancing _was_ a bad idea. He snapped back to his feet with his own honed agility, but she was faster so before he could turn around to give her a taste of her medicine, she was already turning the corner down into the hallway laughing.

"Don't come near me!" She warned when he finally caught up to her in the living room. "I'm armed!" Chad raised his hands up in surrender, staring down the end of a piece of silverware she picked up from one of the open boxes in the kitchen.

"Oh no, not the _spoon_ ," Chad said sarcastically. "Oh whatever shall I do? You going to get my _cereal_ all soggy, McKenzie?"

With a scoff, she tossed it onto the counter before jumping into his arms. "Don't underestimate me, Dickson. I can ruin a perfectly good bowl of _Crunch Mellows_ if you get on my bad side." She gasped with laughter when she felt his lips press against that sensitive spot on her neck and squirmed until he bit her. She hit him on top of his head. "OW! Stop that!"

"Nope," was his simple answer before there was nothing but the sound of music trickling out of the radio and the soft kisses he lined up her throat and across her jaw line. With a soft laugh, she met him halfway for a real kiss. Right now, there was no responsibility but to each other.

Except for the laundry no thanks to the lack of power.

"Kinda wanted to ask you something," Chad murmured against her lips. He rolled his eyes when she huffed at the interruption, hoping for less talking and more action. And she _swore_ on her grave that she was nothing like Roxy.

Though thinking about his ex made his skin crawl so he shoved that out of his mind. Hopefully _forever_.

After she happily peppered him with a few more kisses that short circuited his brain long enough to forget what he wanted to say, she finally pulled back and pursed her now full lips. "So long as it's got nothing to do with work else I'm done drying out your underoos."

" _Briefs_ ," he corrected with an unhappy snort. Whatever he wanted to say was drowned out by the sounds of fire trucks and police cars howling their sirens down in the street below and the station's DJ interrupting broadcast for an important news bulletin.

" _You're listening to Midnight Run 107.9, your station for kicking back and enjoying the evening with Adult Contemporary music commercial-free,"_ a sensual woman's voice rolled out of the radio like thick syrup. " _If you are listening during this massive power outage you probably have a generator or battery powered electronics to get you through the evening. City officials have promised to restore full power in the next few hours pending an investigation on what caused the blackout. If you would be so kind as to inform those who cannot tune in to a radio broadcasting station, we will get through this inconvenience without too many problems. This is Juliet of Midnight Run 107.9 wishing everyone a safe evening."_

Instead of music, a round of commercials came on. Rachel snorted at the radio before turning it off. "So much for _commercial-free_ , Juliet."

Allowing Rachel to slide out of his embrace and head next door to tell the kind old lady of the news, Chad entered the patio to look and hear the sounds of commotion going on in the streets. Some had resorted to crime taking advantage of the blackout with only the moonlight guiding their actions. A few minutes later, he heard the front door close again and Rachel swearing a bit alongside the sounds of metal cluttering in the kitchen before finding him and placing her hand right on that sensitive spot between his shoulder blades.

At once, Chad was suddenly lulled by the touched there. It was a very notorious scar, an old battle wound from when he had been bested by Uno the last time they fought.

Rachel had been there that day, but not what she thought of. She was there leading the KND to battle and then a retreat when they were double-crossed by the teens during their Trojan horse treaty. It was the day where he realized he had been shoved aside as a candidate in favor of Numbuh 1 and nearly killed him in rage.

The fact that it was her favorite spot to touch him was something he tried not to think too much about. Only she was allowed to come in contact with it. No one else had. No one else _will_.

"You know, when I get the chance, every night I look up at the moon to try and find Moonbase," she muttered quietly and looked at the bright orb in the sky. "I never seem to find anything but… well, the _moon_."

Ignoring the dark hooligans down in the street below, he followed her gaze and saw the Moonbase quite clearly in the sky. "It's because you're not recommissioned," he replied and idly rubbed the tip of her shoulder in sympathy. "You're taught not to see, I think, after you're decommissioned. That's why you couldn't understand why we considered Sector L's tree house an important forward base. You probably just saw a normal tree house when you looked at its dossier."

She hummed and accepted his words without question. He didn't know why he was so pleased about it. The fact that she wholeheartedly trusted him made him feel light and alive. No one had really trusted him before except for his parents.

"Want to dance under the moonlight?" he offered when he felt her chin rest atop his shoulder. "It'll be romantic. The moon and stars up above us and down below some street punk is making off with a TV."

He felt her chest shake with quiet laughter against his back. "You sure know how to charm a lady, Dickson." Any retort he had died when he felt her lips press against the shell of his ear. "You'll have to dance with me to the sound of sirens and cursing then."

"Why? Where's the radio?" Chad turned and found the counter bare of his father's old radio. In its place was what looked like a folded up chess board.

Rachel smiled sheepishly at him. "I let your neighbor borrow it when I updated her on the blackout. She said she's having trouble sleeping because she usually has the TV running when she does. It makes it less lonely for her, I think, if she falls asleep thinking she's surrounded by people."

Chad raised an eyebrow, but he wasn't the slightest bit peeved by the action. The old lady was the only one in the building who brought him baked goods as a housewarming gift. She could borrow anything she liked. "And the chessboard?"

"It was her husband's. She wanted it to be a collateral trade even when I told her it wasn't necessary." Rachel retreated back into the living room, picked up the old board, and placed it on the coffee table. "I think she believed that you were smart enough to use it. I tried to tell her otherwise, but..."

"Ha ha," he muttered humorlessly and slid onto the couch opposite her. "Just because I'm a jock doesn't mean I can't appreciate a game of tactics. I _was_ a former Supreme Leader like you after all." Taking apart the board, Chad started lining the pieces up properly, giving Rachel the white pieces and taking the black ones. It was only appropriate.

Rachel was quiet for a moment, seemingly entranced by how he placed the pieces before she uttered a retort. "Put your money where your mouth is, _Commander_." A strange little shiver went up his spine and she continued. "If you win best two out of three, I'll spend the night with you."

Chad paused in setting up the board, eyes widening at the implication of her words. " _Seriously?_ "

There was no hint of hesitation in her answer. "Yes."

Swallowing hard, he finished placing his pawns and sat back smoothly in an attempt to compose himself. "If you win…" Two can play at that game. Fishing a small box in his pocket, he could hear Rachel's intake of breath sharpen when he set it down next to the board.

"Chad?" Inquiring brown eyes locked with his and he had anticipated this response.

"Don't be scared," he reassured her with a devil may care smile. "I'd never force you into anything." Her shoulders gratefully drooped in relief.

He could tell that she was curious to see what was in the box by the way her fingers next to it twitched and her eyes took it in as if it was a delicate bomb she needed to defuse. "I suppose I won't know what's in it unless I win then, huh?"

"I figured you'd want to work for it," he continued to grin.

You can learn a lot about how someone commands by how they played chess. While Chad sacrificed pieces here and there to gain an edge over the board, Rachel was more passive-aggressive and used tactics designed to confuse and scramble his plans until the true one surfaced when he least expected it.

The moment when she managed to trap his Queen in the first round so quickly, was when he realized that he needed to really up his game if he wanted to provide a challenge.

" _Checkmate_ ," she purred and lightly tipped his Queen over. "Sorry about your queen."

"It wasn't a very productive marriage anyways," he teased back. "We should rule together instead."

Rachel smirked. "Indeed."

The second game rolled around after they ignited more candles and, for the sake of both his credentials as a former Supreme Leader and _his manhood_ , he aggressively took over the board until he checked her King.

"In three turns, you're checkmated," he declared, breaking the ten minute silence _and_ her concentration as her eyes continued to rove over the board for an opening.

Her response was pleasant. "You were _really_ aggressive going after my king."

"Just trying to publicly behead him for your favor," Chad said smoothly. "We'd have a strong kingdom if you'd just accept my offer to rule together." And she might just _have_ to when he barely managed to checkmate her in seven turns.

Tied and everything riding on the last game, they ended up resorting to unfair tactics to gain an advantage over each other. It started with simple flirting, a few lingering touches across the board here and there before the tension became so thick Chad snapped and pulled her over to the couch. He long since decided that she was a more interesting game than chess.

They ended up in a mixture of kisses and laughter, still trying to finish the game as they took turns trying to reach over the board and concentrate on their next move while they thoroughly tried to distract each other into making a mistake.

"Did you move my knight?" Chad looked over the board again, hair mussed and completely amused. Rachel made her way back onto his lap and teased kisses along his jaw.

Her laughter bubbled. "I did _not_."

"You sure as hell _did_. My tactic is all up in smoke now that my knight is one square off, you little cheat." In revenge, he stuck her bishop _right_ across the board into enemy territory. Her laughter turned into a squeak of indignation.

"Hey!" She tried to scramble off and reach over to fix it, but Chad was having none of that and instead pulled her further onto the couch.

Just as he managed to quiet her down with a few well placed nibbles down the side of her throat, he looked over her shoulder to find that not only was he missing _two_ pawns, but his _queen_ seemed to have disappeared altogether. "Now you're just being silly," he chided when she pulled the ebony piece from her pocket and waved it at him.

"I have your queen. That means _I_ win," She was awarded for her efforts with a sound tickling. "O-okay, ha-okay! Call it a draw! _DRAW!_ " Satisfied with the olive branch she extended to him, Chad let her fall back onto the couch to let her breathe and reached over for the box.

Trepidation hitting her hard at the serious look he was giving it, Rachel swallowed hard and then smiled with reassurance, gesturing him to climb on top of her. Their eyes locked in a long silence until Chad playfully stuck the box on top of her forehead. "Don't freak out," was his only warning.

Shakily taking the box from her forehead, she opened the top and puzzled over what she found. "It's a _key_."

"The apartment key." Her eyes were wide and amazed when she looked back up again. What he was offering was paramount. He was practically giving and sharing his independence with her.

He wanted to share his _life_ with her.

She took the key out and examined the little silver thing in the flickering candlelight. It was such a little item with the biggest of implications. Lips turning up into a real smile, she pocketed the key and cupped his cheek. "I am going to wreak _havoc_ on your bachelor pad, Mr. Dickson. Your bed's going to have _embroidered throw pillows_. No excuse."

"Forget that!" With a bark of laughter, Chad bent over and kissed her for everything she was worth. There was nothing, save for the morning light, that was going to change anything between them. In the morrow, they would have crossed a milestone in their relationship. It would continue to deepen with each passing day afterward so long as they had each other.

_Nothing in this world was going to separate them._

* * *

It was only their secondary generators that kept their systems alive for all of the city's power was being accumulated into this single machine. XO looked over the proceedings and watched carefully as their engineers and scientists nodded and gave her the thumbs up.

The transfiguration was a success. What they have spent the last couple of years working on was finally paying off. She ordered one of her guards who bowed and turned to retrieve their prisoner. "Bring in the captive."

"This one's a former KND operative. Decommissioned," the scientist rattled off from his clipboard and gestured to the bound young man. His eyes, mouth, and ears were covered in order to disorient him but he continued to struggle, demonstrating the ferocity and power one who trained in the KND can become even without memories. "You will not find a more perfect specimen to try this out on, XO."

She watched the bound captive with both a rising sense of dispassion for the test subject, but excitement over the experiment. "Who wishes to obtain this operative?" Like sharks to an open wound, many stepped forward from the shadows, eager for this climactic moment.

One was eventually chosen and the shadowed soldier took the object in question, almost as small as a marble, and stepped into the kidnapped operative's personal space before shattering the marble-like thing on the floor between them.

A circle of light around the two lit up to the point of blinding, but the XO kept watching the process take place. She hungered for her turn too.

All she needed was the _right_ one and then their plan can finally come into fruition. HAWK will fall and their aging Mother will be replaced.

_Nothing shall forestall his rightful return._


	34. Year Five - Meridian

**Year Five** \- Meridian

There was nothing but the heavy sounds of her shoes hitting the pavement and the gasping as her lungs burned, but none of that mattered. Where she went, how to get there, what she was doing didn't matter at the moment.

Because she didn't know why. She didn't know _who_ she was.

It felt like something in her head was unplugged and the socket was nowhere to be found, leaving her with muffled whispers and buzzing sounds that threatened to split her head open. The world around her looked like nothing but a strange afterimage filter. The darkened streets and buildings were emitting a milky haze that confused and hindered her sense of direction. Everywhere she went she saw double.

She managed to slip on a puddle and fall face first into the mud. Instead of getting up she gave in to her instincts and curled into herself and spent her time on the ground trying to make sense of the flashes of images she just couldn't understand.

There was _one_ thing she could see clearly. Against the rain, she gazed into the puddle she slipped into, finding matted brown curls and pale green eyes that were glazed in disorientation and fear. It was the first thing she could come to grips with her identity. Realizing that she was utterly alone, a strangled sob escaped her throat and she started to openly cry.

"Hey, you okay?"

She snapped her head up at the gentle sound, one that soothed her fear and confusion almost instantly.

The filmy afterimages stopped.

* * *

Chad was sitting alongside the others of the chain of command for an important meeting. He had almost sidestepped it in favor of football practice, but Evy had stressed the importance of it so severely, it started to worry him enough to attend despite it being his day off.

They circled around an extremely large monitor with the words _STANDBY FOR TRANSMISSION_ blazed across it. Whatever it was seemed to make the situation even more grave. No one was hardly speaking. Instead, everyone was staring at the screen with such acute concentration, he hadn't dare asked what was really going on.

He silently took a seat next to his fellow station commanders and waited for the screen to change.

One of their oldest operatives, who coveted the job as Chief of Police, flickered onto the screen from his desk. His brow was pulled so severely down, Chad was almost afraid they would fall off.

"Thank you all for attending," the man folded his hands. "We've been keeping the press out of our hair for the past two weeks, but the attacks haven't seem to lessen the further we investigate. As of recently we've had three more people collapse."

This was news to Chad. He looked around the table for information, for some kind of elaboration, but only Jason addressed the screen. "There's no pattern to it?"

"None whatsoever. Victims were male and female, dark hair and light hair, and all shapes and sizes and ethnicity," Number 911 replied curtly. "Only correlation is the age: late teens to late twenties, and well… they're not operatives, decommissioned or otherwise."

Chad frowned. "If they have nothing to do with our operatives, it's got nothing to do with HAWK, right?" It could have just been a debilitating virus going around or something if the rainy season was any indication.

"It has _everything_ to do with HAWK, Number 274," the older man continued. "All of them have been examined and our science operatives noted a disconnect in their minds. CAT scan revealed that their mental functions are disjointed. Enough to keep themselves alive, but unresponsive. The body works, but the mind is fragmented. Like someone just picked up their cache of thoughts and ran away with it."

"Like a decommissioning gone wrong?" Evy's soft voice caused them all to stiffen. "Or a recommissioning."

One of the commanders whom Chad had never conversed with before opened her mouth. "But the victims were never KND agents. There wouldn't be anything important to decommission _or_ recommission."

Number 911 leaned forward in his seat, grey eyes hard and demanding through the screen. "Well you best figure out what's going on. I've got doctors trying to pry where they've got no business to pry and the press more than ready to blow smoke right up my chimney. I'm sending what we've got over to you."

"Thank you, Number 911," the head of the conference, a middle aged woman who Chad remembered a year ago, interlocked her fingers together from her high backed seat. "We will keep communications open with you if we find anything. End transmission."

"How long has this been going on?" Chad followed Evy and Jason out of the room once the conference dissipated just as silently as it congregated. "Because it sounds like you guys have known for weeks now and you decided to just pick me out as an afterthought today."

Jason had the gall to shrug at him. "S'not like we didn't want you to get involved. You've got other important things to take care of. Like being Father and trainin' the KND."

"It's true," Evy sighed with a weariness Chad hadn't seen of her before. That was when he finally noticed the dark circles under her eyes. "Our espionage sector was _supposed_ to be the only one on this case up until a week ago. That was only because it was just a few victims. Now we're reaching at least a dozen and it's finally catching wind with the chain of command. Even _Mother_ seems to be taking an active role in it."

Chad paused in mid-stride. "Mother?" If she was involved… "That's why you tapped me this time, isn't it?" They both turned in unison. "You think this is tied to the _GKND_."

"Well, we're pretty damn sure they ain't so happy to find their exobase halfway to Alpha Centauri right about now I bet," Jason muttered ruefully and thumbed the leftmost hallway when they reached a fork in the corridor. "But we ain't talking about this out here. Don't want to get people spooked now." He gestured to a door labeled _Espionage Agility Course_ and they entered.

Maybe Rachel was there. She should be seeing as Tuesdays were the advanced level course. He had to deal with a lot of tears and sore muscles from her the first few weeks she applied for that level.

Seeing two blonds in attendance but none of them his, he raised an eyebrow when Number 846 quickly approached them.

"I didn't get the memo that two stiff legs and the proto-Father were going to visit," Katherine grumbled into her datapad before snapping cold blue eyes at Jason's slouching. "Straighten your back, mister! And dress up that line! Bad posture is not allowed on my training course!" She easily influenced the younger operatives to take a step back and fall in. Maternal instincts was just oozing out of the middle aged lady. Next she'll want them to fold clothes or wash the dishes or something.

Jason was only a quarter fearful because he's survived the horror that was his _mother-in-law_ so Number 846 should be easy to deal with. He stood up straighter and challenged her. " _Stiff legs_? I passed your course from hell, didn't I?!"

Katherine snorted and looked over when someone tripped over a pole and landed on his face. She turned back around, uncaring. "Barely. I remember all of my students. _All of them._ You were the worst. Flopped around like a fish and ended up in the med bay twice for your troubles."

"I remember that!" Evy grinned and giggled into her hand when Jason shot a glare at her. "Well you _did_. Who crashes into the same wall _twice_?"

"It was a _difficult_ wall to climb!"

Chad exhaled heavily and stepped forward. "Where's Number 362? Did she already move up a level?" Unless he got his days wrong again, which was impossible. He was never wrong when it came to memorizing Rachel's entire schedule.

He remembered her calling him a creep for that before covering his hair full of paint.

Number 846 huffed and waved her datapad around with irritation. "Funny, I was going to ask you the same question seeing as you're both practically attached to the hip." The look she was giving him caused a flush to rise at the back of his neck. "She hasn't arrived for training today and she's going to hear about it when I see her again. I expected just a little more reliability from someone as dedicated as her, but I suppose she had to acquire a few bad habits from _somewhere_."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Chad squeaked out indignantly. "I take my job seriously!"

"But your form as a _traceur_? Horrible. I expected more from a former Supreme Leader." Chad retreated a step when she waltzed right into his personal space and poked him on the chest. "You probably don't remember my daughter? She tested your little tush back in the Academy. The only reason they let you pass the agility course was because you flipped around like a blasted circus carny to your instructors and amused them. What do you have to say to that?"

"You got a problem with _flips_?" Chad raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more for fear of becoming further criminalized. Maybe he _was_ just as guilty showing off some of his rudimentary parkour skills in order to impress his targets. It may not be as refined as Katherine's 'disciples' who lived and breathed the technique, but the basics had always been paramount during his KND training.

_He can keep up._ That's the important thing.

"You wasted time doing a fancy-schmancy side flip over one rail in the same time I could have cleared two buildings and a plaza. There is a reason it is called _free_ running. You do it on your _free_ time!" she growled and gestured angrily at her charges. "Flip when you are about to crash your head into the pavement, _not_ to get your friends clapping! Parkour, people! _Parkour._ What is the meaning of Parkour?!"

Her students immediately paused in mid-practice and mumbled out the meaning. That incensed her even more. "Sound _off_! I can't hear you!"

_"Parkour is getting from point A to point B as efficiently as possible!"_

"And does doing little fancy flips fit in that description?!"

_"NO MA'AM!"_

Chad snorted at the blind obedience. "You don't have a son named Number 60 around, do you?"

"Aren't you a clever wisecrack," Katherine growled. "Too bad your cuteness doesn't work on me. You tell Number 362 that unless she's on her deathbed, I'm severely disappointed in her. Expect high jumps for the next two weeks for her troubles." With a large dismissive gesture that she was done entertaining them, she turned back to the obstacle course and sounded her whistle.

Evy popped her gum loudly. "Well _that_ was a waste. That's the whole reason why we're here!"

Before Chad could open his mouth, Jason cut in. "Don't lecture us on this, Dickson. We didn't recommend handing the mission over to 362. Orders from the top. She _is_ part of the espionage sector. Over half of them have been debriefed about it already."

"I wasn't," he lied. "she's an agent. She can take care of herself." Well, he _half-lied_. Chad was always going to worry over Rachel. It had little less to do with the fact that he was ordered to protect her and more of the fact that she was _his_ , and he liked to keep what was _his_ safe.

_Where the hell was she anyways?_ Fishing out his phone, he scrolled through his apps.

"Are you going to play _Angry Birds_?" Evy asked excitedly. "That game is so addicting!" Jason groaned.

"ENOUGH OF THE _ANGRY BIRDS_ ALREADY!"

"I'm locating Rachel using the phone tracker," Chad muttered and launched the app with a flick of his thumb across the screen. "I can find her within a three hundred mile radius if I want."

Evy popped her gum again. "You just couldn't be any more creepy, could you Chad?" And then she grinned. "That's so romantic. Like me! I bugged Jason years ago!"

" _What?_ " Jason rounded on her, horrified. "Where is it?!"

"You don't need to know." Her grin was so evil and suspicious even Chad took a step back from her. "It's best you _don't_ know. Else I'd have to _kill_ you. Then I'll _always_ know where you are."

Chad shrugged at Jason's incredulous stare as if to say, _you married her_. His phone beeped and the scanner indicated that she was located a few floors up.

"She's in your _office_ ," Evy looked over Chad's shoulder and grinned. "Should we follow you or would we be interrupting anything?"

"Shut up." Three floors up and they found Rachel at his desk working the terminal. Chad folded his arms and propped his hip against the frame of his door. "I wondered when we would reach the stage where you'd be going through my things and find my secret girlfriends," he teased.

That seemed to startle her from her typing.

Much to his amusement, she scrambled off from his cushy seat and stood at attention. "I'm sorry, sir. My terminal wasn't connecting to the database so I had to use yours." It was her formal tone and cold brush of his joke that caused Chad to pop his eyebrow in confusion.

"That's alright," he pulled away from the door and traded looks with Jason. "Do whatever you want." Her back was so stiff and unflinching, Chad was starting to wonder if she really _was_ doing something suspicious with his terminal.

Evy gratefully stepped forward to fix the awkward silence that suddenly reigned in his office. "We just had a meeting about _Operation: EXODUS_. Not everyone in your sector got the notice, so we were looking for you."

"I didn't get a memo on my phone." Rachel's voice was so tentative and cautious, she was _really_ making Chad worry. "Is the system down, Number 123?"

She shook her head. "No. This has just become extremely classified, so we're going by word of mouth. We don't want to disrupt base if word gets out about decommissioned operatives disappearing."

Chad snapped his head at her. "I didn't get the memo about _that_."

"Well you did _now_ , didn't you?" Jason said with a surprising lack of sass. "Non-operatives are going comatose and decommissioned operatives not affiliated with HAWK are now officially missing. We've been intercepting reports from their families and friends about it. The higher ups think the two are related, so we're waiting Mother to sign off on _Operation: EXODUS_."

"And what is _Exodus_?" Rachel stepped around the desk and finally met them halfway, brown eyes alight. "It sounds dire."

Evy scratched the back of her neck. "Ah… even I don't know. Just the higher ups. I've got a theory about it though. It might be a mass recruitment of decommissioned operatives. We keep them safe and they may not 'disappear'. But twelve people going comatose and another twelve decommissioned operatives going AWOL? It can't be a coincidence."

Chad gazed at the marble floor beneath them and his brow furrowed hard as the gears began turning in his head. None of it sounded familiar to him. None of it save for the comatose victims had any relation to what he knew so far about the GKND. Maybe it wasn't them despite Jason's theory. After a moment, Chad frowned at Rachel. "Why weren't you in training?"

She blinked. "Training?"

"Yes, _training_. For parkour? Number 846 said if you weren't dead and buried, you're going to be anyways." Rachel had flinched so realistically, Chad had to hold his tongue from teasing her again. "You alright?"

Something akin to pain flashed in her eyes so quickly Jason and Evy didn't notice it but Chad did. She cleared her throat and folded her arms. "I've been a little under the weather, sir. I guess I got the days wrong."

"I have heard you've been a bit sick in the morning these days." All eyes were on Evy. In fact, it was Chad's turn to flinch. His stomach began to plummet the more she kept opening that big mouth of hers. "And Number 86 said you were in the bathroom all morning today too."

Chad had begun to pale so severely, Jason had to cut in to save the day. "There you go again taking your jokes too far, woman. Knock it off."

"It's not what you think," Rachel managed to squeak out, but it did little to ease Chad's sickened complexion. "I think there's a bug going around. I might have caught it while on assignment." All three of her colleagues continued to stare curiously at her regardless. She held her hands up in surrender. "Really, _I'm fine_. It'll take more than a cold to kill me."

"Oh no!" Evy suddenly slapped her forehead and then grabbed Jason's sleeve. "Now I _remembered_ what we forgot today! We left the Common Cold waiting in quarantine!"

Jason palmed his face in realization. "Ah crud. Lou's really going to have a few words with you _this_ time." She already started to drag him out of the room. "We'll debrief you guys when we get more information, yeah?"he said over his shoulder before the doors slid shut.

Chad sighed. "Dunno what I saw in Number 100 back in the day." He then grinned, hoping a little ribbing would cheer Rachel up. Instead she continued to stare at him awkwardly and his grin disappeared again. "Alright, what did I do now? You're colder than a…" What was that stupid Texan euphemism Jason liked to use whenever Evy got moody? "... _a dang polar bear in an ice storm_."

And really, Rachel should laugh right about now. She was always tickled by Jason's analogies even on her _worst days_. And she'd laugh even more so when it was _Chad_ that imitated him.

Instead her eyes darted to the side and she said quietly, "Sorry sir. Just under the weather."

"Sir? We're not in the presence of _Mother_. You can drop the formalities." With a narrowing of his eyes, he stalked over, ran his fingers lightly across Rachel's hips, and then drew her close. She stiffened within his touch so badly, Chad was now entirely sure he had done something wrong for her to act like she _hated_ him. "Okay, what's up?" his voice leveled gently. "Are you _seriously_ mad at me?"

She looked everywhere but his face and shook her head. "I just… this is kind of personal, isn't it?" She gestured at the short space between them.

Chad's blue eyes continued to narrow until they were almost slits. "So now I have to _ask_ for your permission when I touch you? You were pretty damn keen of getting your hands all over me last week." Something finally seemed to dawn on her face and, though reluctantly, she placed her hands against his chest.

"Right, right. Sorry," she relaxed into his arms and pressed a kiss against the side of his mouth. "I'm out of it these days. Even my professional and personal life are starting to blur." And when they finally locked eyes, he hoped to find that familiar flame there to reassure him.

After a long moment, he softly said, "At ease then, soldier. Get some rest. I can't take you off the _Exodus_ mission, but I can get rid of the non-essential ones. Maybe you should go home, get off base for awhile until we need you."

"Thanks s-Chad," she smiled and, instead of bumping foreheads like they usually did to avoid PDA while on the clock, she kissed him on the cheek again before departing.

He stared at the closed door longer than necessary, eyes narrowing still before moving back to his desk. There was no reason for suspicion or worry. She didn't look nor feel well and the heat of her kiss was a little higher than usual.

Still, the lack of enthusiasm in her departure did little to comfort him. He went back to work at his terminal instead of wasting away the day wondering about it. She can take care of herself and, as she had constantly stressed for him to ease up on her, so he shall.

The missing operatives were of more importance at the moment.

* * *

Chad had no business with _Exodus_ the next few days. That was left for the espionage division and, quite frankly, the only thing he usually got regarding it was secondhand dossiers he could tell went through a lot of revisions before it ended up in his inbox.

That was the problem with bureaucrats. KND, TND, GKND, and now _HAWK_ , there was always a pencil pusher either making it hard for agents on purpose or were on the tail end of a shakedown from the powers that be. Whatever documents he was getting, all the juicy bits were obviously omitted for security reasons.

This time, however, the police managed to draw a perimeter around a recent collapse of the next victim. This time, Chad's dossier was just how he liked it: stone cold facts without the nonsense. Because at the same time this victim collapsed one of his own agents went missing: an up-and-coming villain ready to take on the information age and enforce stifling child-lock programs for KND internet users.

And lets be frank, those child-lock programs weren't the typical ones Mom and Pop used to make sure their kids didn't look up bad sites. They were intrusive and downright irritating to navigate. Megabyte's plan to anger the KND by redirecting their searches onto a single site dedicated to toddlers was supposed to prompt a new breed of computer hacking operatives. Without Megabyte to intimidate the Kids Next Door, nothing was going to encourage them to better protect themselves against system hacking… especially when the technologically superior GKND were still hovering around waiting for the right moment to strike.

Megabyte's disappearance left many of his agents distraught, _especially_ Evy. They went to the same college together and they were both _Angry Bird_ fanatics. How did he know this? Not because he was Father. Because she wouldn't stop pestering him about it once he got word of Number 1337's disappearance.

He had just arrived when their latest victim was being carted up onto a gurney and into the ambulance. Rachel was already there at the scene running her fingers across her datapad.

Chad watched her for a few moments before looking around. There was not much evidence to go by. Everything looked untouched save for the mud where the victim fell. Whatever footprints had been there had been washed away by the constant rain that was taking over the city.

"Find anything?" Chad asked when he finally approached. Rachel stared hard into her datapad before locking eyes with him. Absolutely _empty_.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," she replied. "whoever it was, they're good. A force to worry about if they've got us on our toes."

Chad scoffed. "Since when did you admire pragmatism? Rubbing off on you, am I?" Rachel usually liked to get him sorted out on the Golden Rule - _do unto others_ and all that. Apparently he needed more ' _positive reinforcement_ ' lest he went stark raving mad like Father and Grandfather did with all that power at their disposal.

Her response was surprisingly curt. "Not everything in my life revolves around you, sir." Chad frowned incredulously when she started to walk away, wondering what the hell was her problem, until she immediately stumbled onto the pavement. He quickly moved forward and gingerly pulled her up. "Rachel! You alright?"

But she _wasn't_ alright. She was burning up from her hands to the roots of her hair. Despite her attempts to wave him off, he kept a hard hold on her, not in the mood for her to blow him off again. Her strength came back when one of the medical operatives curiously approached them and she held the medic off with a sharp warning. "I'm alright. Just a dizzy spell, really."

"Dizzy spell my ass. You're burning up," he growled back despite the shaking of her head. With as much energy she could muster, Rachel tore herself away from him and retreated, breathing heavily.

"I said I'm fine!" she snapped. "You can't stay away from me for two seconds?!" Before Chad could retort angrily back, Rachel was already stomping away from the scene and ignored Jason when she harshly bumped shoulders with him.

Jason raised his hands at Rachel's retreating back before shrugging in bewilderment. "Jeez Dickson, what's _her_ problem? Looks like you're sleeping on the couch tonight. Tomorrow probably too."

"Not a problem," Chad replied with a snarl. "It's not like she's taking advantage of my place anyways." Despite what he thought was enthusiasm when he offered her the spare key a week ago, Rachel had yet to consider even _visiting_ , let alone move in with him. It didn't bother him as much seeing as _Exodus_ was taking most of her time and his own duties kept his mind off it.

But now? It was as clear as day Rachel was having some kind of problem with him. He just didn't know what he did wrong.

Jason patted him on the back in sympathy. "I know we're on the clock and all, but here's some advice from one bro to another: flowers and chocolate. _Lots_ of chocolate."

"I'm not THAT whipped." Like hell he was going to look like a complete sap apologizing for something he was sure he didn't do. "If she's got a legit problem with me she knows where to find me. She's the communication guru, not me."

"Communication goes both ways, buddy," Jason countered with a grin. "I'm just lucky I married one who _lived and breathed_ communication stuff."

Chad scowled at his datapad while he lifted it and took pictures of the crime scene. "She's ill or something, I don't know. Either way, she stonewalls me everytime I ask. She treats me like I'm her boss and not her boyfriend."

"Well she's on the clock. That's normal."

"Except when she's not," he countered. "Last month she was complaining about the lack of vacation days we have together so I spent two weeks sorting it out and she hasn't said a damn word about it." They were supposed to travel to Milan for some sort of fashion week thing her mother was toting about. Rachel had been adamant that he spend some quality time with her family and yet the fact that she was just ignoring him about it when it was so close to the date was starting to worry him. The least she could do was tell him the trip was off.

"Maybe she's secretly got a little something on the side," teased Jason. He immediately regretted it and jumped back in alarm. "Hey-hey! You're _killing_ your datapad, 274!"

Chad looked down at the glowing blue cracks running down his knuckles and the bright blue ice that somehow consumed half his datapad and cracked the screen. He took a deep breath and focused on toning his ability down lest he actually blast Jason and his bad taste in jokes. _Like husband, like wife_ , he ruefully supposed. Coolly shaking off the ice, his datapad flickered and died. _Great._

"I was just joking," Jason apologized sheepishly and took the destroyed datapad. He examined the cracks for kicks and then stuck it into his jacket for proper disposal. "We both know Rachel wouldn't do that. She's probably just stressed. Or... you _know_..." His look said it all. "And if _s_ o, just give it a week or two. She'll be as normal as a Texas heatwave in July no time at all."

"Thanks," Chad grumbled sarcastically. "You know just how to cheer a guy up, 100." But maybe he was right. Maybe this weird mood she's in will blow over in a week or so.

A voice shouted not too far off. "Hey! We got something here!" Almost seemingly tossed in the bushes nearby the crime scene, one of the operatives had fished a cracked datapad out with gloved fingers.

"Crime solved!" Jason chirped in order to lighten the mood. "Obviously _Chad's_ the culprit since he's destroying datapads left and right."

"Ha ha." Chad put on his gloves and started going through the bush. "That's one of ours then?"

The operative pulled a device out and gold light began to scan across the surface of the datapad. It beeped and she examined the findings. "It's Number 1337's. Her fingerprints are all over it." She showed the screen to him, which flashed the dossier picture of a girl in her teens much younger than Rachel. Megabyte had been one of their newest decommissioned recruits, much too young for a recommissioning.

Maybe Mother had the idea about _Exodus_ right. Now not even the decommissioned operatives was safe in HAWK or no.

"So... I guess it's safe to say the missing operatives and the comatose victims are intertwined in this case," Jason brought Chad's whirring thoughts to life. "Just don't know why."

Chad looked at the datapad curiously. "Maybe she got something on camera. She was always connected to the net. _Always._ "

The operative slipped the datapad into a plastic bag and securely zipped it up. "That's the idea. The screen's busted, but it looks like the memory stick's intact. We'll send it up to forensics and see what we can find from it then get back to you. And don't worry sir, you'll be the first to know."

And she better. 1337 was one of his _villains_. It made things personal.

* * *

"I'm scared," he overheard her whisper brokenly into her phone. "I think he's suspecting or something and it's getting to me. Everyday I wake up and I feel like I'm on _fire_. I can't take this anymore!"

Chad pressed his back against the wall and just _listened_ , his fingers balling into fists the longer he eavesdropped in on Rachel's call to... _someone_. He can hear her breath quickening and knew exactly what she was experiencing from the many years knowing her: guilt.

"Please..." she continued in such a pained whimper that despite the feeling of utter betrayal growing inside of him, he wanted to confront her and take the pain away. After a moment she let out a shuddering sigh. "Okay. I'll try. For you. _Anything for you_."

He slipped back into the shadows of the hallway when her footsteps led her toward him and watched quietly as she hurriedly walked out of her office and down the opposite corridor.

Jason was right. She _did_ have someone else on the side. Blue eyes darkening and yet glowing in anger, Chad walked away leaving an entire wall encased in ice behind him.

It didn't go unnoticed, however. Kuki had turned the corner sniffling quietly until her dark eyes widened at the shimmering ice littering the hallway before her. Further down, she noticed Chad and bounded after him, wiping some of the tears from her eyes. "Number 2... uh... 29..." What was the other name people called him? " _Father?_ " He was just the person she wanted to talk to about Wally. He was under Chad's jurisdiction after all. Maybe he could help figure out what was wrong with him.

Apparently, Wally wasn't the only one in weird mood if the state of the hallway was any indication. Chad said nothing, didn't even seem to have acknowledged her presence, and continued to walk. Kuki had to take long strides just to keep up with him. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, shelving her own problems in favor of his.

Chad finally glanced at her and she almost squealed in alarm. His eyes were a vivid, unnatural blue and there were cracks, _actual_ cracks around his eyes. "What's wrong with you?" Kuki panicked. "Do you want me to inform the medics?"

"Just leave me alone," Chad gritted out, his voice heavy and almost as unnatural as his eyes. " _Go_."

"B-but..."

"I. SAID. GO!" The hallway began to shake and everything ignited in a blaze of blue and white. Kuki began to retreat hastily as the rest of the hallway became encased in pure glittering ice. And then, with a scream, it turned into a full blown run for the tactical deck as the ice seemed to grow faster and invasive. She managed to hide behind the sliding doors of tactical before it too was frozen shut.

Having watched the whole interaction from a side corridor, a middle aged woman carefully took one step onto the ice and watched it attack her boot before she shot at it with her pistol. With a sigh, she stepped back onto the steel of the deck and opened up her communicator.

"Get me Number 168. He just iced over the tactical deck… and then some."

_"Yes Captain,"_ her comm buzzed.

Ice was even starting to creep toward her like a virus. That was new. She shot at it some more before speaking again. "And do it quickly. It's… _growing._ "

_"It's what?!"_

* * *

The rain worked to dampen his anger, but only just. Chad ended up pushing his busted bike down the road towards home when his fluctuating powers had caused the engine to freeze over the longer he thought about Rachel. There were two sides within him warring about it. One wanted to believe that he didn't enough evidence that she was cheating on him and the other wanted to blow up half of the city in the hope that it got rid of whoever it was she was talking to.

And really, the latter was starting to sound like a reasonable idea. _That_ was what scared him.

_It's this ability_ , he thought to himself darkly. _All this potential power is making me..._

Evil.

Ice suddenly ran through his veins at the idea, screaming joyously for him to take advantage of it. He forced himself to hold it in lest he take another outburst out on some other unfortunate bystander. Who knows what the hell he did in the tactical department.

An anguished cry caused him to stop. He noticed a dark haired girl curled onto the ground with her shoulders shaking hard from the effort. Propping his bike up, Chad immediately came to the girl's aid, expecting the worst. "Hey," he inquired softly to avoid scaring her further. "you okay?"

And when she looked up at him with such a sense of hopelessness and loss in her green eyes, something stirred within him so fiercely that it melted away the ice that threatened to overwhelm him.

He hadn't felt this protective of someone since he was Supreme Leader. Since _Rachel_.


	35. Year Five - Trigger

**Year Five** \- Trigger

The way she curled up on the couch, the comforter tight around her still damp skin and hair reminded Chad of a child and really, it made things a lot less awkward all things considered. With a silent sigh, Chad tore his gaze away from the stranger and bypassed the small living room altogether for the kitchenette. Ignoring the silent whirring of his communicator on the counter, he continued drying out his hair with a towel.

She was going to wake up sooner or later. This wasn't a motel after all and, despite Rachel not being around and her... whatever she's doing that was just going to piss him off the more he thought about it. He closed his eyes and suppressed another flare of anger trying to ride on his ability. Despite the _things_ Rachel seemed to be doing, he wasn't going to get caught harboring young women in his apartment _unintentionally_.

He cared about her way too much to be spiteful or vindictive. Two wrongs didn't make a right, but it sure as hell made the playing field easier to ruthlessly take advantage of.

Except he was trying to keep emotional manipulation and relationships separate. _For once._ And for _her_.

The coffee maker was going when he heard whimpering sounds from his living room. Setting the mugs aside, Chad quickly walked over to find the girl curling into a fetal position near the foot of the couch and clutching her head hard. Whatever was troubling her didn't seem to wake her up yet.

_Must be the amnesia_ , he thought gravely before moving to get her to stir from whatever nightmare she was having. He had asked for her name before he took her home and she wasn't able to give one. Where she came from she didn't know. Her entire identity was a mystery.

She startled awake from just a touch to the shoulder and she was already on the defensive, her fingers instantly curled onto his wrist tight and unyielding. Chad watched her closely as her green eyes darted around for a moment before they fell upon his and her grip slackened. "I'm sorry," she muttered quietly and hugged her knees instead.

Chad shrugged and took a seat next to her. "You were mumbling something in your sleep before turning into a twitching fit. You kept saying _Leah_. Think that's your name?"

"Leah..." Something in her eyes flickered in recognition before they glazed over again. "It _feels_ familiar." She didn't know if that was her name, but it was _something_.

"Then we'll call you Leah until you get your memories back. Better than Jane Doe number whatever," he pulled out a device. "You mind giving me a strand of your hair?"

Leah shrunk back at the sleek black box in his hand. "What is that?"

"DNA recognition module," Chad said truthfully. "If you're in the system I can pull up your file and help jog that memory a bit. _Maybe_. I'm not exactly the amnesia guru. _Giving_ people amnesia bashing their heads against something? Now that's something I can do."

Her frown wasn't very impressed by his ribbing. Maybe she honestly thought he had been the one who gave her the amnesia. "Like the Code Module?" she instead asked with surprising confidence.

You can cut the tension in the air with a butter knife. "How do you know about the Code Module?" Chad demanded. He advanced on her as soon as she started to retreat. "Explain. _Now_." Because unless it was a coincidental name of a wiki page or something, he was pretty sure the only relevant Code Module was the one from the KND.

He instantly regretted treating her like someone to interrogate. She was beginning to shrink away from him in fear. "It was in my dream..." she said meekly. "Is that a bad thing?"

After a thoughtful moment, Chad moved a comfortable distance away from her. "No," he shook his head and took another deep breath. "No, it's not a bad thing. Don't know if that's a _good_ thing either." That shelved any idea of taking her to the police. Number 911 would just reroute her back to HAWK if she was going on about the Code Module. Or worse, she may have had been one of the decommissioned operatives who went missing.

He ran the DNA from her strand of hair through the decommissioning archives first. Curiously, Leah watched the screen flash many different faces and numbers before it beeped and _NO MATCH_ blinked across the screen.

"Congrats," Chad muttered. "You're officially non-existent." She didn't match the HAWK archives or any official medical records in the country either. Yet she had dreams about the Code Module. "Explain your dream. As much as you can."

Leah shyly played with her fingers. "There were kids around me. I think it was from my childhood. A short boy with a saucepan on his head said to stick my..." She smiled in embarrassment. "He said I had to stick my booger into the Code Module. That's really silly, isn't it?"

"I suppose it is." His mind began to whirl with many possibilities and none of them viable. "Catch any names?" Chad gave her a long searching look. "Any _numbers_?" If she was a KND operative which was both impossible and possible given the circumstances she couldn't be any younger than him. The boy with the saucepan had to have been Jason back when he was Supreme Leader.

She just shook her head. "After that everything was all mumbled. Like someone stuck earmuffs on me. Then the scene turned blurry and then..." Her shy smile warmed him considerably. He didn't know why. "...then I saw _you_."

Chad rolled his eyes at the ceiling and cleared his throat. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"No, not that. In my dream I _saw_ you." Her brow furrowed. "Or, at least I _think_ I saw you. You were really young. You shook my hand."

He rolled his head back towards her, almost tickled by the statement. It was almost a dream now, that he used to be a part of the KND. Life was simple back then. Operatives admired him and he thrived on the power and respect that made him a paragon before falling from grace. To hear from someone that they remembered him as _Numbuh 274_ instead of Chad, the traitorous teen now Father protégé _..._

But now wasn't the time to be nostalgic. This information really cemented his theory. If he had been around for this girl's graduation then Jason had to have been Supreme Leader. But he's met hundreds if not thousands of female operatives during his time as Jason's XO. Leah would have just been another blip in the crowd.

She continued, her green eyes alight with relief. "You don't know how happy this makes me feel. To know that you had some kind of part of my past... I don't feel so alone anymore. Thank you."

Her smile was so earnest that he couldn't help but grin a fraction back. "No, you're not alone. You've got a place home somewhere. We'll find it." DNA match or not, this girl had to have been an operative.

The coffee maker beeped so Chad went back to the kitchen to tend to it. When he came back with a cup for Leah, he found her admiring the picture frames tucked rather privately in the corner. Most of them were team pictures from his time playing football, the only semblance of a normal life where he genuinely treated his teammates both in high school and college like brothers. A couple of them were family pictures that didn't scare him into turning them over.

Despite his parents being effective operatives, they were really horrible at making dignified family pictures when they're wearing those stupid lumpy sweaters his mom liked to knit out.

_"I love your mom's sweaters!"_ _Rachel had whined._ _"They're lumpy, okay I'll give you that, but they're so soft and warm and made with love..."_

Leah had picked up the most recent picture and examined it curiously. Chad immediately took the frame and set it around. "She looks familiar," was her sheepish excuse, probably realizing that she had overstepped her boundaries. "I didn't mean to poke into your privacy."

"It's fine." Except it wasn't. He tried to smooth out the stiffness in his words. "Was she in your dream too?"

"No... but I don't know," she shrugged helplessly. "Is she someone special to you?"

"Yeah." Despite a good chunk of evidence, Chad couldn't muster the strength to hate Rachel no matter how much it hurt. No, the years have practically tempered out that kind of emotion. Even his burning anger towards Uno was just an occasional simmer beneath everything that was currently going on.

He just didn't understand why she tired of him so quickly without warning, nor comprehend whoever it was on the phone that she spoke so gently too. Her soft intimate words that had always been directed at him had been used on someone else.

His fists began to crack blue again and so he had to meditate it away again. This was going to be a problem.

Leah smiled helpfully. "She looks so happy in the picture. She must really care about you a lot." Her words hurt more than reassure him.

"I..." he took one lost glance at the turned frame. "I care for her. No matter what she does in her life." At any rate, this was personal territory he wasn't keen on sharing with a stranger, but maybe _that_ was the reason he let the girl in for a moment. She _was_ a stranger, an outsider that didn't know him and couldn't judge the whole picture.

After a long moment, Leah gratefully changed the subject and stared at the mugs he abandoned on the coffee table. "Hot chocolate?" she asked hopefully.

"Coffee. Are you ten or something?" That made her giggle, a bit nervously. Chad smirked and pointed at the lighter drink. "That one's got a lot of milk and sugar." He had forgotten for a moment that he was making coffee for some random girl he picked up off the street instead of Rachel. She always preferred her coffee extremely sweet and milky so she didn't have to taste the bitter brew like what he preferred.

Leah smiled uncertainly, but picked up the drink. "You're never too old for hot chocolate, but if it's sweet enough… I guess I can try it." He watched her take one sip, blink, and then gulped down half the drink eagerly in one shot. "More?" she licked her lips and offered him the now empty cup. She really acted like a child.

It continued to rain long into the night.

* * *

Leah was extremely hesitant to go down to HAWK headquarters, but he somehow managed to persuade her. Maybe bringing her would ease the heat that was going to be placed on him from the incident in the corridor yesterday.

It was especially worse when he got a text from his _own_ father, who requested his presence that afternoon. He can already hear the lecture Number 168 was going to bury him with. That, or applaud him on such a villainous moment. At this point, he had long since stopped trying to figure out his parents these days.

As curious as a puppy, Leah examined all the hi-tech equipment and schematics down in the engineering department before they found Jason privately collaborating with one of the techies. Chad had to patiently detach her from a holographic presentation on one of the pilots' prototypes and steer her in the right direction.

Then _Jason_ was going the opposite direction so he had to cut in. God, it was like herding _cats_ around here.

"So…" Jason straightened up and addressed Chad. He looked almost peeved. Almost. "You went and iced down half the tactical deck with your little outburst yesterday."

Chad had the decency to look mildly guilty. "It should've went away like usual." When didn't concentrate on it the ice would just disappear, but the scowl on Jason's face said otherwise.

"Oh it didn't go away. In fact it _grew_. And _ate_ things. If it wasn't for your dad, we probably would have dragged your little overpowered keester back to base and have you fix it yourself."

"It… _ate_ things?" That was new.

Leah clung to his arm and smiled up at him. "This is so exciting! Are you a secret agent, Chad?"

Mouth slightly agape once he realized that they weren't alone, Jason looked from Chad to Leah and then _pointed_ from Chad to Leah. "Who's this?" Then he tried to smile that stupid smile meant for secret keeping until Chad glared at him.

"A possible former agent," Chad said curtly, destroying any chance of teasing from the older man. "Jason, probably Leah. Probably Leah, Jason."

She grinned sheepishly at Jason and waved. "We're not sure if Leah's my real name or not. Chad said he can help me get my memory back if I visited you guys."

"She's got a memory of you inducting her into the Kids Next Door as Supreme Leader, 100," Chad smirked when Jason puffed himself up with pride. "I figured you'd get a kick out of that."

Jason wasted no time offering his hand for her to shake. Self-admiration must be a Supreme Leader trait. "I'd remember a pretty little lady like yourself then. Well… maybe not. Kids don't really look the same when they grow up, but still, you're still a pretty little lady."

"Thank you!" Leah said brightly and shook his hand eagerly.

Chad looked around for a moment before dropping his voice into a whisper. "She's got memories of a decommissioned operative, but there's no file on her. How do you wager that?" Jason's eyebrow climbed.

"Okay... where'd you find her?"

"Doesn't matter," he could feel Leah dip her head in consciousness and her grip around his arm tightened. "Just a gut feeling. Think this might have something to do with _you-know-what?_ "

"We can find out," Jason grinned at the two of them. "I'll have our scientists do a _complete dissection_ if you want."

Leah whined and squeezed Chad's arm tighter. "Knock it off," Chad growled at Jason. "I'm serious. She could be a civilian screwed over. Don't scare her."

Jason raised his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. Just easing the tension. Pretty sure the little lady's intending on cutting the circulation there." His teasing words caused Leah to immediately pulled away in alarm.

"Sorry!"

One more year and Chad will be allowed to legally drink. _Thank god._

* * *

The silence was almost stifling between him and his father. The atmosphere didn't help much either since they were sitting on the only two steel chairs in a holding cell designed for interrogation. Chad had a suspicious feeling that the large mirror to the left held either scientists waiting for him to make a move like some guinea pig… or his _mom_. Either one was a horrible idea.

His father looked at him for a long moment and then set a glass ashtray in the middle of the table. "I want you to turn this into ice," he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Not instant, son. _Gradually_. We're testing your control."

With reluctance, Chad raised a hand towards the ashtray and willed himself to hold back and just let the ice inch its way from the bottom to the top.

"What's bothering you, son? Is it work?" Eugene rattled on as if this wasn't a problematic control of a supernatural power and more of a pep talk between father and son. "College? Is it football?"

He said nothing and just concentrated on the ashtray. Ice steadily began to climb into the dip of the ashtray.

"Is it Rachel?"

The ashtray was so abruptly consumed that it exploded from such extreme pressure it looked like stardust littering the table's surface. Eugene sat back in his seat, satisfied by the reaction. "So it _is_ about Rachel."

"I'm not talking about this," Chad growled. "Not _here_."

"We're the only ones here, Chad," To prove it, Eugene flicked off the lights and revealed no one behind the two way mirror. He turned back on the lights and then sighed. "I think it's time we talked about Father's legacy. Why he is what he is."

Chad impatiently sat back in his seat. "Dad, I don't have time for stories."

"You're going to listen, son," his tone was so severe, Chad felt like he was six years old again. "And you're going to listen _good_. What makes a Father?"

He shook his head and waved his arms around sarcastically. "Father leads a team of villains against the Kids Next Door to help train them. _Presumably._ The little brats don't have an inch of talent or mettle that we used to have back in the day. One sector even _cried_ when they battled Evy. _Evy_ , dad _._ When the GKND comes back again, we can't rely on the Kids Next Door in their present state. We'd be _screwed_. Might as well plant a giant freaking white flag on Moonbase and bow to our new galactic overlords."

"But what makes a _father_?" Eugene corrected. "That's the bigger question. Becoming a real father is the real test of character. We are the role models of our kids. A mother provides emotional support and a father enforces control. We give them reality while the mother encourages them to dream. It's a delicate combination, one that two generations before you royally screwed us up on."

His father didn't need to pretty up his speech. Chad knew exactly what he was trying to get at. "You think I'll go the way of _Benedict the Tapioca Tycoon_ and _Benedict Jr. the Broccoli Berserker_ , aren't you?"

"I can see you've got their sense of humor down pat, the very least," His father sighed. "But no, I don't. You've got a heart, son, one that cares about the people who work under you. Most of all, you'll go through hell for those kids like you've always done. But the EI ability _will_ overpower you though if you're not careful. Negative emotions can fuel it just as much as positive ones can. Don't let it eat your compassion away like the fire did to the Benedicts."

"I'm not going to end up like those pieces of…" Chad stopped short. His father's eyes narrowed at him in warning before Chad tossed his hands up in surrender and got up from his seat. Twenty years old and his father still treated him like he was _ten_. "Are we done here, dad? Because I hear you loud and clear."

"One last thing." Chad's eyes widened when his father slid him a pack of cigarettes across the table.

He glared at it. "Very funny, dad. _I get it_. I need to chill out."

"This isn't a joke," Eugene sighed again. "The Delightful Children offered the stabilizing recipe that Benedict used whenever he couldn't control his ability. Why do you think it was such a big deal when the GKND listed Benedict's pipe such a high score for that scavenger hunt? Without it, Benedict spiraled out of control."

"I'm not taking those," Chad protested angrily. "What if it screws up my health? I've got _NFL_ spotters looking into our games this month! Pretty sure they're not going to look at me twice when I'm wheezing up and down the field."

"They're not real cigarettes, Chad. The scientists on base designed them. Non-addictive, non-threatening, discreet. Only thing it does is stave off the ability when you can't control it."

Chad pushed away from the table and made his way to the door. "I'm not an uncontrollable hack like Benedict, dad. I can take care of this on my own." He had so much on his plate right now that realizing this thing inside him was trying to take over was becoming the least of his problems. But he'd be damned if he relied on science experiments to help him out.

He's been experimented enough to last _ten lifetimes_.

When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Leah behind it with her hand up in mid-knock. "Um…" she looked down and swayed on the spot.

"Why aren't you with Jason?" he asked her shortly. He could feel his father curiously looking at them but he ignored it. "What happened?" Before she could answer, he held his hand up and turned back to his father. "Are we done here, Number 168?"

"We're done."

As Chad waltzed out of the room, Leah looked at the cigarettes on the table and pointed at them shyly. "Are those Chad's?" It was so earnest, Eugene couldn't help but smile at her.

"They are." She nodded and, almost like a child, picked up the pack and put it into the overgrown jacket Chad had lent her before quickly following after the blond young man.

He was already turning the corner when she finally caught up to him. "Explain why you weren't in the lab with Jason."

Leah's response was very small. "I got scared. I didn't want them to put me in that scanning thing without you there. So I ran."

" _You ran_." Chad pinched the bridge of his nose while his shoulders slowly began to shake. _Unbelievable._ What Leah mistook for his shaking in anger was really him trying not to laugh like a madman. The shaking stopped abruptly when he felt a hand slip into his. Composed almost instantly, he looked down at their clasped hands with a puzzled expression.

"You looked like you needed someone to hold your hand," she smiled uncertainly at him before squeezing his hand again. He'd never admit it, but such an innocent bit of contact had somehow grounded him from spiraling out. Problems with Rachel, his ability, _Exodus_ , all of it had been chipping away at his resolve the last week. "Feel better now?"

He really did. "Yeah, I guess. Thanks." She didn't let go and he didn't encourage her to do it. The warmth of her hand tempered away the chill he was subconsciously feeling.

* * *

Leah only agreed to be placed for a CAT scan if Chad was there to oversee it. Resigned to his new role as babysitter, he stood beside one of the techies in front of a large screen that was recording her brain scans. It read numbers and other mumbo-jumbo that he didn't understand. Leading an army of small children seemed a more easier task than translating what was on screen.

"Look at this," One of the scientists eagerly traced a finger between the hot colors of Leah's mind and the cold colors. "Two completely different brainwaves! The hemispheres aren't even the same and yet they're working in sync. That's impossible."

"English _please_ ," he demanded. "I can hardly keep up with _high school calculus_ and you're talking brain surgery to me."

Too well used to Chad's impatience, one of the techies began to animatedly explain while gesturing to the screen. "See the colors? One side's blue and the other's red. That indicates two completely different thoughts, personalities, etc. Except it's as if… look how the red seems to overlap into the blue. Means it's dominant. _Active_. It's overshadowing the blue."

"There's only one instance where we've seen this," the other scientist tapped his stylus on the table. "and that's from the comatose patients. None of them had an overshadow though. Could be the reason why she's awake and not the others."

Chad frowned and walked over to the tube-like device where Leah was currently under. "You saying she could be one of the victims that's walking and talking?"

"Roughly? Yeah."

She was a civilian with _KND memories_. Something didn't seem right. "Do me a favor, Number 907 and keep the girl under wraps for now."

"Sir?"

Usually he had a method and madness to his reasoning. This time, it was his instincts that were screaming at him without evidence to support it. But he's long since learned to never ignore his gut when its saved his behind multiple times before. Right now there were two important things that were raising alarms. One, if Leah was one of those civilians that managed to get out of a comatose state then the others might have KND memories too. And that was number two, someone had to get those memories somewhere.

Who better to use than decommissioned operatives when their KND memories were already easy pickings to detach? The questions were: where were the decommissioned operatives then, how the hell are they doing this (whoever they were), and why?

"Am I done?" Leah's voice echoed from inside the scanning tunnel. With a slicing motion across his neck to Number 907, the tunnel lid popped with a loud hissing sound. He helped Leah out of the device. "That was a little suffocating," she noted cheerfully. "did you find out what was wrong with me?"

"We have an idea," he told her before addressing 907. "in the meantime, just because you're keeping this on the down-low doesn't mean you can't work on this. Do you need anything in order to work out a solution to fix the girl's problem?"

907 quickly ran a diagnostics on his datapad. "Well… we could use recent brain scans of the comatose patients for comparison, but we haven't heard from our guys at the hospital today. They might be held up in paperwork or something."

" _Great._ "

* * *

Much to his surprise, he really didn't expect Numbuh 5 to be at the hospital… until he remembered that her father worked there as a doctor. Chad almost didn't recognize her. In fact, he almost mistook her for _Cree_ if not for the long braid and cool slouch against the nurse's station.

How time flies. "Abigail," Chad greeted with a curl of his lips.

"Chad," her dark eyes narrowed. "Or should Numbuh 5 say _Father_?"

"If we're really going to stick to formalities, I suppose I should call you _Director_ then," he sneered back, playing the role of villain. "You keeping tabs on me when I'm here to see my ailing grandmother?"

Abby scoffed and pushed off the station. " _Puh-lease._ Your grandma lives in Minnesota."

"So you _have_ been keeping tabs on me," Chad purred from beneath his cap. He probably looked much more intimidating to her dressed up like a SWAT agent. Well good. If the Kids Next Door weren't up to par these days, he expected a little more vigilance from the _Teens_ Next Door. "and here I thought your lot have been getting lazy as of recently. Twelve missing agents? Must not look so good on your end."

"Neither are yours." Sparing a few glances in case of anyone in particular listening in, Abby took a few steps forward and said lowly, "Did you send one of your agents over to the comatose patients?"

Chad frowned. Those instinctive warning bells in his head were going off again. "Not _one_. We sent a few of our science officers over for a CAT scan update."

"Uh-huh. Numbuh 5's seen a HAWK operative, but not a science one," She knew she got him good this time when his features darkened. "Yeah, Numbuh 5 knows about your adult thing. Maybe you should have thought hard before you let Numbuh 3 and 4 into your ranks. Wally was _always_ a blabbermouth." Abby grinned when the look in Chad's eyes turned from dark to straight up _peeved_. "Rachel's here."

Leah popped her head out from behind Chad's back and revealed herself to Abby. "Hello!"

Abby gestured impatiently at the dark haired girl for interrupting a very top secret conversation. The fact that she was hanging off Chad probably didn't help much. And here she thought Chad was actually going _legit_ for once. "Who's this?"

"It's not important," Chad cut in. "Did you talk to her?" No one informed him that Rachel was visiting the hospital and neither did she check in with him before leaving the base. Either way, her sneaking around was starting to piss him off again.

"She hasn't come this way yet so you can probably catch her and ask yourself," Abby shrugged coolly. "Numbuh 5 only let her in because she's 362 and she's from your end, isn't she?"

He didn't bother to answer. Sliding away from both girls, Chad immediately marched his way toward the recuperation ward, ignoring the sounds of protests from behind. Enough was enough. Just because he cared for Rachel didn't make her exempt from protocol. She was the one who got him into this entire organization and she should damn well uphold her end of the bargain.

Maybe her new boyfriend was here. Too bad she won't be messing around with anyone if they're _dead_. The ice in his veins sang in unison to his growing anger. He almost forgot his mission when he saw Rachel turned a corner towards him, her features strained and worrisome. Before she looked up, someone had yanked the black cap from his head and he turned to complain.

"Sir?" Rachel's inquiry made his blood boil when he faced her again. She _still_ called him that.

"What the hell are you doing here, McKenzie?" The air crackled with energy until something warm pressed against his back. He closed his unnatural blue eyes and willed himself to a state of calm again. "You weren't authorized to come here."

"I was just checking out," her tone was so lethargic and defeated Chad felt a pang of guilt over his short tone. "You were right. I guess I just wasn't feeling well."

_From the recuperating ward?_ "So what did the doctor say?"

She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. He didn't know what to make of her behavior. "Too much stress. Lowered my immune system. You know the song and dance."

"All too well," he muttered sardonically as his thoughts lingered to his days slaving over mission specs up in Moonbase and the dossier revisions on the Exobase. Now he had new memories: paperwork in HAWK.

They gazed at each other for a long moment. Chad was trying to muster up some kind of words to put into this wall between them. It was that same damn wall he had thought was destroyed years ago. But here it was as solid as ever if not more so. Instead of words of love and encouragement, betrayal and anger were much faster leaving his mouth. "So... you going to tell your guy on the side the riveting news, or is he somewhere in a station filling out paperwork for you?"

"Excuse me?" Her eyes widened and they were just as incriminating to him as her actually making out with the guy in front of him. "What guy?"

Chad stepped forward and snarled. "The guy who you'd do _anything_ for."

Rachel's shoulders hitched up in defense. "You've been listening in on my phone calls now?! Do you have to be such a control freak?"

"Oh that's rich coming from someone in the _espionage division_ ," he shot back. "Who do you think taught you how to eavesdrop without being noticed?" The warmth against his back suddenly pulled away, but Chad paid no attention to it. Right now, he wanted answers. And he wanted them now.

Incensed, Rachel stepped forward as well, finally intruding into his personal space, something that she hadn't done in _weeks_. "You want the truth, Number 274?!"

"Yeah, I _do_ want to know!" he shouted and didn't give a flying damn when passing nurses were starting to take notice. _"Are you cheating on me, Number 362?!"_

An ignition of fire and sound from two rooms behind Rachel exploded.

It was almost like slow motion. They both jumped instinctively for the floor and protected themselves from the shrapnel and debris flying through the ward. Once the ringing in Chad's ears started to subside it was soon replaced by nurses and doctors screaming and the whirring sounds of the alarms going off.

"Sound off, 362!" He shouted among nurses and patients alike trying to get past him and away from the remnants of the bomb. Scrambling blindly around the floor through the smoke, his fingers found the familiar kevlar of their uniform and he pulled Rachel up. Half her face and hair were covered in soot and he probably wasn't much for wear too.

"Sounding off," she coughed under his grip and allowed him to push past the commotion and let her rest safely against the adjacent wall. "Chad..."

He quieted her with a stern warning. "Stay here and don't move!" Pressing a sleeve to his mouth and nose, Chad wasted no time pulling out his communicator and warning people to move by flashing his badge. "Out of the way! Police!" It wasn't like anyone's going to stop and examine the HAWK clearance insignia and find out he wasn't a cop. They've got _far_ worse problems to deal with.

Once he got close enough to the thickening smoke, he sounded off his communicator and ran in. "Dispatch we've got a code 1082 at the St. Providence Hospital. One bomb fired in the recuperating ward. Request police and a bomb squad." Do you request medics when the attack was in a _hospital_? Seemed a bit excessive.

_"Forwarded to police,"_ his communicator crackled through the screams. _"Please vacate the premises safely Number 274."_

"Negative. Evidence for _Operation: EXODUS_ must take precedence. I'm going to see if there are any other bombs in the vicinity and neutralize them. 274 out." Good god the smoke was so thick. Chad continued to cough into his sleeve until he bypassed the smoky room altogether. He couldn't see into it but he didn't need to.

Whoever had been in there were most likely dead. Instead he headed into the next room for the next set of comatose patients only to find the room completely vacated. Did the staff already evacuated them? He quickly checked the next two rooms and found them all empty as well.

Except one. There was a beeping sound coming from underneath one of the empty cots. He knelt down and swore loudly. One of the bombs was still set to go off.

"Numbuh 274! Get out of there!" A voice cried out from behind and, out of pure instinct, a gigantic wall of ice raised up in front of him just as the bomb exploded. The force of the explosion was too much for the wall and it quickly imploded into shards of translucent shrapnel as Chad was lifted off his feet and blown back into the hallway.

Before the back of his head smacked hard onto the dusty linoleum floor, he wondered if getting blown up by bombs were going to be a common occurrence in his life.

That is if he _survived_ this one. There was suddenly blackness and then the soft sound of violins until it lulled his muffled senses into nothing at all.


	36. Year Five - Fringe

**Year Five** \- Fringe

It was getting worse. Chad's disappearance pending the explosion in the hospital caused many of HAWK's agents scrambling to find him and very little paid any attention to her. As it should.

With a shuddering breath, Rachel slid down the park bench while waiting, her brown eyes trained on one particular spot on the path. Her breathing was labored and her complexion feverish. Should this continue any longer and she may just suffer an aneurysm and be done _permanently_.

The burning dropped to a simmer the last few days that it was manageable. After she witnessed Chad disappearing into the smoke and flames the heat inside exploded into a wildfire that couldn't be contained. It was burning every inch of her consciousness.

He told her to hold on. And she'd do anything for him.

The limousine came into a stop nearby and Rachel stumbled out of the bench and thought about drowning in the pond nearby to stave the flames. When the door opened, she all but collapsed inside. After a moment or so, she was pulled against the cool leather of the seats and sighed in content.

"It's getting worse, is it?" An amused voice trickled into her ears and a hand brushed a stray hair from her face. She turned into the palm and kissed it which earned her another lash of heat to run through her body.

Now she couldn't even _be_ with her beloved. "I... don't think I can hold on much more," she whispered brokenly. "Too strong. Let me transfer, please." It shouldn't matter who the next person is so long as it was her, right? He'd love her just the same.

"Just a little bit longer," he smiled from the shadows. "Right now, you're in a very important position of power for me. That will make things go much more faster. Just a few more operatives, dear. Then everything will be where it belongs."

With a desperate whine, she rested her head on his knee and just enjoyed the simple pleasure of being in his presence. "The ones who were comatose... they're gone."

"I know." Rachel almost purred when fingers ran through her hair. He'd never done _that_ before. "We should have blown up the ward sooner, but you understand. Our kids were... hesitant getting rid of them. I certainly did not expect that fake Father to be there."

His fingers tightened around her scalp and she winced. "He could have died. The explosion might have incinerated him completely." She gasped aloud and curled into herself as fierce fever ran through her body from top to bottom. Too hot... Rachel clung to him like a vice until he soothed away her shaking.

"Doubtful. One pipe bomb isn't going to kill someone like Numbuh 274. No, he may be on to us if he's keeping secrets from HAWK and has gone underground. Maybe he's somehow escaped with the spare bodies. But it doesn't matter. Continue as planned and send us more dossiers. "

Before she could even enjoy the very little private time she had with him, the limo door opened once again. Reluctantly, she pulled away and stumbled out of the car. "I..."

"Go on. You're the only one I can count on." Just like that, the limousine disappeared down the road.

* * *

_Only one he can count on..._

Rachel stared absently into the mirror. She wasn't pretty, not by a long shot. Brown eyes weren't exactly something you could make a sonnet about like the other eye colors. Blond hair... no one wanted to be blond anymore. Blond meant stupid or ditzy.

And yet there was just something compelling the longer she gazed into her reflection. Warmth. Compassion. Trust. The pictures littered all over her childhood bedroom were of her posing for awards and family gatherings. Her childhood smile wasn't bright, but it was modest, and she understood why that can be attractive with these features.

Why _he_ was attracted to her. She glanced at a picture stuck to the mirror of the vanity with her looking no older than thirteen or fourteen at a carnival. With a mouthful of caramel apple, she looked surprised to have the camera turned on her.

Chad was by her side, irritated but still smirking. Why was this picture so important to be taped on the vanity, she wondered, trying to search through her memory. She was instantly rebuffed by another blast of heat that gave her a headache this time.

_Stay away._ She didn't need to be told twice.

"Can't you see?!" she hissed at her reflection. "What we're doing is right!" No response, but she expected that.

This was supposed to be _seamless_.

There were more pictures of him littered in drawers, some of them were of the two and others were just him in the shot. It was almost as if she didn't want to forget him and wanted to cover the entire place with every single memory so she'll be reminded. Reminded for what she did not know.

To think about Chad brought her enough pain to not pry again.

Her communicator beeped. She spent a few more moments just reading into her reflection before walking toward the bed and sliding her finger across the screen to unlock it. A text from Number 123 was telling her not to worry. That they'll find him.

Hopefully, they won't. He was better off dead lest he find a worse fate when the siege at HAWK's base of operations finally began.

She cried out in pain and dropped the communicator onto the carpet as she clutched her head. _Stop it... just stop!_

At this rate, she might just _die_ from the heat before she will ever see the fruits of their labor come to life. Turning back toward the mirror, she realized with horror the reason for the heat.

Brown started to creep in from the roots of her hair upon closer inspection. "No, no, how are you...?!" Knocking over a few vanity items to reach for a comb, she pulled and inspected the roots and found that instead of the golden blond she was familiar with, the roots were darkening, exposing her for what she was.

She slammed the comb down and fumbled for a pair of scissors. "Stop it..." she warned brokenly, showing her reflection the cold steel. "I said _STOP IT!_ " If she had to cut all her hair off, so be it!

After a few minutes she breathed and dropped the scissors back onto the vanity. The darkness creeping over the crown of her head seemed to stop. She'll have to dye it before going back to base.

* * *

When Chad came to he found himself at his desk and had ended up nodding off during the end of his shift. Brushing a piece of paper stuck to his cheek, he sat back in his seat and rubbed his forehead. A dream... a _vivid_ one too. He just couldn't process the odds and ends of it.

It was one of those dreams where you swore it was real and then forget it entirely when you woke up.

_Too much soda_ , Chad thought with a nod. _Might have to lay off that for awhile._ Numbuh Spare Change for a $20 did say that mixing cola with chili dogs were a bad idea. Next time, he was going to have to listen to those cafeteria rumors. Especially when it's coming from the kid himself.

Before he can shuffle up the rest of his paperwork, an operative in a full riot gear mask opened his office door with a heavy slam, causing even the hamster pipe network above to shake. "Sir! There's a riot going on down in the training room! It's sooper humunga-bad!"

"You gotta be kidding me." He jumped up from his seat and grabbed his helmet. "Where's security?"

"Security isn't going to help stop it." The operative quickly followed him onto the training deck and, much to Numbuh 274's confusion, he found not a single other operative during his run across Moonbase. Was everyone just at the training facility trying to stop the riot? Not even his own guards were around.

His combat boots hitting the metal platform, he looked over the railing overlooking the training gym down below and his blue eyes widened in alarm.

A giant crowd of operatives were surrounding two people and cheering like rabid animals. In the open circle, two adults seemed to be fighting each other instead of his kids to the _death_.

He tried to shout an order and get his kids to fall in and do something, but he somehow couldn't muster the right words and could only watch as the blond haired woman managed to pull the shadowed woman into a strong headlock. The children operatives booed but despite the audience, the dominating woman was relentless...

...until she looked up and locked familiar brown eyes with him. A stirring of something ignited within him, a sense of possession. He knew this woman. He's had her in his arms before and knew the taste of those blood stained lips from when her opponent uppercut her.

The dream of her smacked him so hard, he actually flinched backwards and watched her opponent take advantage of the blond woman's distraction and twisted from her grasp to punch her hard in the gut.

She fell to her knees in exhaustion.

"RACHEL!" he shouted and he was Supreme Leader Numbuh 274 no more. He suddenly smelled smoke and fire from his person. His red jumpsuit and armor were replaced with dark Kevlar that was peeling in pieces from the explosion. It didn't matter who he was.

Rachel was going to _die_.

Chad jumped over the railing from a great height and crashed into a roll before shoving the protesting operatives aside to get to the circle. The operative who called for him followed dutifully, smoothly weaving in and out of the children instead.

Her opponent had her on her knees and pointed an actual pistol against the crown of her matted blond hair. "STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Chad yelled, opting to charge at the shadowed woman before suddenly a wall of ice shot up from the floor and blocked him entirely from the fight.

He pressed his palms against the rigid blue ice hoping it gave way before using his shoulder to ram it through regardless of the pain shooting up his arm. A horrified shout left his lips as an inky blackness clung to him from the ice. It was steadily crawling up his arm and threatened to consume him and turn him into a dark silhouette.

A silhouette of _Father_.

Desperate, he dug his own nails into his arm to stave the infection away to no success. It wasn't important. Not now! He turned back to the ice wall and watched helplessly through the translucent glass as the ringing shot of a bullet echoed throughout the facility.

With a gasping shout of anguish, Chad slid down onto the floor and, for the first time, something of a strangled sob left his throat as he cradled his infected arm. One by one each operative disappeared until it was just him and the operative in riot gear.

"Why couldn't you help?" he gasped out at last. The operative stepped into his vision and knelt down.

"Because I am unable to." The voice became more feminine, more gentle. "That is why I need you, Numbuh 274. _We_ need you."

But what was the point of fighting if she's gone? Chad furiously tore off the operative's riot mask and regretted it. A white hot fire surrounded the operative and the flames licked away any chance of him to catch a glimpse of her face...

...until the dream dissipated. He saw a ten year old Rachel McKenzie looking down at him, her features grave. Numbuh 362.

_"If you can't control it sir, you won't be able to save any of us."_

* * *

"Ah, so you're awake."

Did someone glued his eyelids shut? It took him a few moments to open them and found a bright light that immediately strained his eyes. With a hiss of pain, he turned his head to the side and found Leah keeping a quiet vigil over to him.

With a curious tilt of her head, she reached over and hesitantly brushed her fingers against the side of his jaw. "Hello 274," her green eyes glimmered with something akin to nostalgia. "It's been awhile."

"Leah." His voice cracked. She didn't seem like the same oblivious girl he picked up in the rain. She was calmer, contemplative.

Her fingers brushed past his chapped lips. "It's funny how much the future has changed. I just never thought… well, I suppose that's life." Then she shrugged. "Have any important dreams, beloved?" She blinked when he looked up at her in confusion. "Is that not right? I guess that _does_ sound old. Sweetheart? _Baby_?"

"Where am I?" he asked instead. Whatever the hell was going on must not have been good. He can hardly move.

Leah pulled away and sat on the edge of his cot. "We're in a warehouse. It's the only way we can hold two dozen awakened operatives without looking suspicious. After I dragged your heroic butt out of the hospital you've been under an induced coma for the last few days." She placed his smashed communicator on a cardboard box of bananas next to the cot. "I hope you don't mind us destabilizing your homing beacon, but _HAWK_ isn't safe right now."

Chad tried to sit up but Leah's hand was firm and unyielding. That was when he found bandages criss-crossing around his chest before he fell back on itchy sheets. "HAWK can give you guys asylum, protect you from the threat." He didn't understand what was going on. Awakened operatives? Was she talking about the missing patients?

"You don't get it, do you?" She chided him gently. "We're _here_ and they're _there_. You've already been infiltrated."

Infiltrated. His men were in danger. He struggled back up despite Leah's attempts to dissuade him. If she wanted to stop him, she was going to have to use force on him. HAWK needed to know. They needed to...

And so she used force. Placing her hand against the side of his throat, Leah pressed a pressure point there like she was used to doing it. Immediately, Chad fell onto a boneless heap back into the cot, his eyes widening from the technique.

Leah huffed. "You are stubborn." That was when she leaned down and kissed him.

There was something in the press of her lips against his, something igniting and wondrous that he hadn't felt in weeks. Despite it all, the numbness of his body and Rachel miles away, a quiet groan of pleasure left him without his consent. And when she pulled away, he wanted to crave more of those kisses.

"You know what's funny?" She smiled and bumped foreheads with him. "Leah. _Rachel_. There's an old story found in the good book about these girls."

Chad could hardly move, but even if he could, he _wouldn't_. She was _home_ , she was his nostalgia long since passed. "Who are you really?"

Leah smiled at him and, for a brief moment, he saw a flash of golden brown pass by those green eyes. "Hello, _sir_."


	37. Year Five - Disconnected I

**Year Five** \- Disconnected I

_Several Weeks Ago_

Chad had long left in the early morning hours which gave Rachel to freedom to stretch out over the comforter and just doze in the atmosphere of his independence. The apartment was small, but it was his, and now it was hers.

A small smile of content lifted her slumbering lips until she yawned and stretched over to Chad's impeccably made side of the bed. Despite the mattresses all the way up to the sheets being new, his scent seemed to find a new home there. She pressed her face to it and just let it soothe her back into a state of relaxation.

She waffled around until she couldn't doze no more and lazily retreated to the bathroom. A lot of things were still unpacked, but there were toothbrushes, one that seemed to be meant for her. Unable to currently process that perhaps Chad was expecting her to accept living with him, Rachel grabbed the purple toothbrush and got to work with her teeth.

That was when she saw her reflection. It seemed almost older and she was glowing. A light blush made its way in her mirror image as she remembered the night before. Now that she thought about it, she felt a little more different. A little more somber, but content. It was a good feeling.

She wondered if Chad felt the same way and wished she asked before he left for the NFL pre-draft conference. A surge of pride and humor hit her when she thought about it. She was _dating_ what could be a professional football player one day. How many people could say that really?

Her own future was a little bit muddled. She wanted to pursue some kind of law like her father, or maybe even a position of political power. Her last few texts came from the Army recruiter that visited McClintock months ago, a career branch that Patton would have been used to except for his desire to work with the Marines. But the Army had full ABA credentials in their JAG training and Rachel had been extremely interested in pursuing law for the military.

Dad, on the other hand, might not be so pleased about it. At any rate, that still left law school before enlisting and she had quite the handful of offers from prestigious colleges willing to sink their teeth into her scholarships and grants. Both of their futures seemed bright regardless of HAWK or the KND or whichever. Life continued on at the same pace.

Sometimes Chad needed someone like her to remind him of this.

With a sigh, Rachel pocketed her phone and spent her time finding all the pieces to the borrowed chessboard. How a _rook_ managed to roll under the couch both amused and brought a flush to her cheeks at the memory.

It was only polite to return such a well loved game to the elderly neighbor across the hall.

Hopefully the power was finally on but when she tried to turn on the kitchen lights, nothing happened. It did not matter. She could keep the radio for awhile longer if she wished.

Chessboard securely under her arm, Rachel quietly tiptoed out the apartment dressed in Chad's old high school jersey and shorts that were way too big for her and knocked on the door. There was no answer, but maybe the old lady just couldn't hear the knock.

Rachel tried again, this time louder, and then decided to speak. "Ms. Robinson? It's Rachel from 34A! Just wanted to give back your chessboard!" Odd... the old woman had told her she never left the apartment if she could help it.

Dancing between contacting the landlord in the off-chance that she might have fallen or something or maybe the woman was sleeping, she found the door was unlocked and, extremely guilty but concerned, she walked in.

"Hello?!" she tried again when she found a lot of antiques, but no lady. "Ms. Robinson? I'm sorry I let myself in. Just wanted to check and see if you're alright." She set the chessboard down on top of a tea cozy and heard a clang of silverware from the kitchen.

She was relieved to find the old woman sitting at the table, unharmed, but the atmosphere seemed extremely tense. A young woman no older than herself stood next to Ms. Robinson, and grew alarmed at the ashen expression on the old lady's face.

"Um... I'm sorry? Am I interrupting something with your granddaughter?" she asked with hesitation.

But the old woman's eyes widened and the young woman beside her sneered. Rachel caught a glimpse of the concealed weapon pressed against Ms. Robinson's temple.

"Nope, we were just waiting for you," the young woman said with a smile. "Now we can finally begin."

She didn't want the old woman harmed so Rachel raised her hands up in the air and walked into the sitting room as was the girl's orders. And when she showed her a strange mechanical seed between them, Rachel could only raise an eyebrow at it.

"Going to grow me to death?" Chad was rubbing off on her too much these days.

The intruder's smile dripped in venom. "Didn't know the great Numbuh 362 had a mouth on her. I'll have to keep that in mind when I take her over."

Rachel frowned, uncomprehending of her words despite the gun pointed at her. "What are you talking about? What do you want?"

"Your body." And then, much to Rachel's surprise, the girl slammed the seed down between their feet and a flash of light nearly blinded her.

Rachel screamed, but only for a moment. The force of air rising from her feet and upward was so strong it immobilized her to the spot as weird cybernetic vines climbed up her body to latch themselves around her temple. That was when the initial shock forced her vocal cords to sing out. The pain was unbearable.

It felt like it was... dislodging her _brain_.

Then it felt disconnected after the pain. She screwed her eyes shut, but still found colors dancing in her vision despite the blinding light, as she tried to... hold on or _something_. How, she did not know. Something was tearing her mind apart and instinct compelled her to fight it.

How long did it take? Hours? Years? It felt like years until she heard a huff of discontent in front of her.

"Stubborn, aren't you? The process is quick for most people, but I suppose I shouldn't expect anything less from one of the few who could resist something like Grandfather's citizombification. But like that incident, you can't last for long, Numbuh 362."

Strange enough, flashes of events she had never experienced hit her so quickly she could barely comprehend. Deformed wrinkled faces, the panic as they attacked the base, holding them off long enough for... for...

A glimpse of dark sunglasses and a bright red shirt ignited her thoughts. Words like 'savior' and 'best operative' came to mind before that image too was fleeting and uncomprehending. It was like something was trying to steal these unfamiliar memories away and she tried to grab onto it and hold on like they were bits of sand falling through her fingers.

Those alien tendrils inside her mind went deeper in response and a new lash of pain left her lips again. When she opened her eyes in defiance, she found the dark haired girl standing right in front of her, covered in those same weird vines. Rachel showed her her teeth in defiance.

The girl let out a bark of laughter before she too suddenly screamed in pain. That was when things suddenly went out of control and the last thing Rachel felt was being torn in two before she blacked out completely and saw no more.

Leah took a step back once the process was complete and watch her own body collapse onto the carpet before looking at her hands. Paler than usual, but healthy. She felt her cheeks and then ran her fingers through her new blond hair before looking at her reflection through an antique plate.

"I did it," she murmured in a voice not her own. "Now I'm the most powerful operative there ever was!"

"Are you alright, dear?"

Leah turned to find the old woman hesitant and worried for not her, but Rachel.

She smiled. "Don't worry, Ms. Robinson. The intruder must have passed out. You should call for someone to deal with her."

That was when she had full control of the situation. The transcommissioning didn't go as smoothly as she thought. What was supposed to be the capturing of Numbuh 362's secret memories left her with only Rachel McKenzie's instead for some reason. The twelve year old operative was nowhere to be found.

Leah spared a glance at her old comatose body. She could work around this. Rachel's memories, passcodes, and authorization prints were at her beck and call instead. Destroying HAWK from the inside would be a piece of cake, even if she was unable to obtain the strength and cunning of a KND operative.

* * *

Then the headaches came. Sometimes when Leah would search through Rachel's memory for some sort of personality belonging to Rachel to fool the others, she found none. Instead she found something akin to a door. She could open it, but only to a certain degree, like someone placed a chain lock to keep her from opening it all the way.

At first it was a mild inconvenience and, with much probing, she was able to secure the passcode to Rachel's office and then some. Anything else, like information about family or friends, was met with much more force, like someone was behind that door and they were fighting their hardest to keep it closed.

When Number 274 implied some kind of intimate relationship with her that time in the office, she felt _fire_ when she tried to pry open the door for information about him. His desires, his quirks, his dreams, all of it was a gold mine of information for her master to use and exploit to their advantage.

Real actual fire was the response she got when she tried.

A flare of pain shot through her brain so fast she had to grimace to avoid crying out and tried to memorize everything about _Operation: EXODUS_ during the whole exchange. It was only when she was safely alone did she begin to genuinely panic.

Rachel's personality should have been overshadowed completely like the others.

The heat didn't subside. It only got worse. Rachel was alive in her head fighting with her for dominance over the body. Soon Leah was wracked with fever and migraines. Holding her at bay like this wasn't natural. The others weren't complaining about this.

"Headaches?" JZ, one of their shadow operatives that had commandeered Number 4's body, raised an eyebrow at her when she asked. "No, ma'am. It's been smooth sailing here. This guy... he's a complete monster on the battlefield. I can take down anyone and anything!"

She didn't care. "Dismissed."

Sometimes she dreamed of her, the girl whose body she stole. They would just stare at each other for what seemed like an eternity in an empty void until Rachel would scream and fire would erupt around her whenever Leah took a step forward. She would wake up in a hot sweat with her head pounding, sometimes in tears.

Rachel was going to make her life difficult. Forever. Or until she died from a high fever which was a stupid outcome. If Leah died, so would _she_.

But Rachel McKenzie didn't care. That was what Leah deciphered from her dreams.

* * *

Her cover may be blown soon. She could barely stand being around Chad, the fake Father. The whole reason why she was ordered to steal Rachel's body in order to find his weaknesses.

But every time he approached, every time he _touched_ her, the pounding headache became a full blown migraine. Rachel didn't want her near him. She wanted Leah to snap and push him away and, in turn, draw suspicion for her actions. Her excuses were running out quickly and Chad would ultimately catching on that something was wrong.

Rachel may not have the memories of Numbuh 362, but she was still clever.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Barricading herself in her, no, _Rachel's_ office, she dialed her commander's number and waited patiently for him to pick it up. Before he could utter a word, she fought hard to speak through her tears, her face twisted in pure pain.

"I'm scared," she shuddered out at last. "Everyday I wake up and I feel like I'm on _fire_. I can't take this anymore!"

He was silent, almost contemplative, as she sobbed into the phone. His words did little to cool the fire running through her veins however. "You decided on stealing Numbuh 362's body, but we may not have foreseen the complications to it. _Fire_ you say?"

" _Yes_."

"Her willpower may just be strong, or perhaps there is something else," he sounded almost amused by the whole thing and anger hit her hard. She was suffering and he treated it like it was just a simple oversight. "Maybe she's been _touched_."

Leah collapsed onto the chair. "Touched? Please..." Just make the pain go away.

"Never you mind, love," his words were chiding. "We'll fix what's wrong with you after you continue sending us dossiers of potential operatives to transcommission. I want at least every sector infiltrated with our operatives. _Try_. You are strong. You will work past this."

She let out a pained sigh before answering. "Okay. I'll try. For you. Anything for you."

The flaring ceased and she could suddenly think clearly. Was Rachel tired now? Or _dead_? She hoped that Rachel tired herself out from torturing her and simply faded from existence.

* * *

Her old body wasn't part of the comatose patients' roster.

Did the old lady not call the cops? Leah had stormed Ms. Robinson's apartment to find the entire place empty and devoid of anyone living there. That was the first warning that something was wrong. Where the hell was the old bat?!

Leah had to make sure. Maybe her body was just a Jane Doe without identification, but she had to make sure. Disregarding HAWK protocol to stay away from the hospital until _Exodus_ was sorted out, Leah visited the comatose ward with new orders: destroy the bodies and the personalities within. It was strange going to destroy... your own _self_ , but this was her body now.

She was Rachel McKenzie. This was the only way to make it permanent.

Every body was accounted for when she started wiring up the explosives in each room, but her's was nowhere to be found. Why? Where did it go? It couldn't have survived long without medical intervention!

On her haste to get out of the wards she bumped into Chad and a long forgotten pain instantly shot up and hit her hard. She almost cried out as Rachel's personality resurfaced once again with vengeance.

_I won't let you use me anymore._

Leah could barely hear Chad's tirade, demanding what was going on with her and the mysterious man he had eavesdropped on previously. Her eyes widened at the slip up and, unable to comprehend being attacked verbally by him _and_ mentally by her, began to snap back. "You've been listening to my phone calls now?! Do you have to be such a control freak?!"

_Stay away from him!_ Rachel shouted in her head. _I'll kill you, I swear!_

_Then do it!_ She wanted to shout back. _I can't take this anymore!_

Defying the pain, the anger, the separating of her thoughts as Rachel's fire burned at every single memory that belonged solely to Leah, she took a physical step forward into Chad's space, defying both him and _her_ in the process. "You want the truth, Number 274?!"

"Yeah, I _do_ want to know!" Chad screamed. "Are you cheating on me, Number 362?!"

Rachel screamed angrily in her head at the accusation and fire both from her and the explosion from the bombs ignited all around her. For a moment, she thought she had found the sweet bliss of death as the pain was so intense it no longer hurt. That was when she blacked out...

...and Rachel finally woke up.

Everything sounded hollow and far away. She could move, twitch her fingers just a bit, and for the first time in weeks, she felt _alive_. The ringing of the explosion was fading and Chad's voice was growing midst the smoke and screams.

"Sound off, 362!"

Rachel eagerly wanted to call out to him, wished she could move enough to pull him into her arms and tell him the truth. Half dragged off the floor, she felt cool fingers run down her face and she felt even more alive with his touch.

"Sounding off," she coughed instead and realized just how much lack of control she had over her own body when he placed her against the wall.

Things were becoming dark again. She was too weak to hold position. Rachel was fading away from her body once more.

No, she needed to tell him, _warn_ him about the Shadow Operatives. "Chad..." she whispered in a rasp.

He shushed her. "Stay here and don't move!" His parting glance was somber and pained, almost as if he thought that she no longer loved him.

She wanted to cry, but instead she mustered all the strength she had left to reach out for his retreating back, wishing him to return. Because she may never be in control again. _Please... come back..._

Before she blacked out entirely, one of the doctors quickly grabbed her and pulled her body to safety. He sounded like Numbuh 5's dad.

The last image she had was of Chad's back and her reaching out for it.

* * *

When Rachel found some kind of coherence of self again, she found herself back to square one as some kind of disembodied place in their head and Leah resting against the lap of someone she did not know.

She felt sluggish and faded, slogging though the soft words and false promises from this mysterious man she couldn't get a read on. Leah was infiltrating HAWK using her memory, that she did know. Anything else was just a flicker of nothing but pure emotions.

Emotions that flared up when Leah mentioned the possibility of Chad dying, and she was hopeful that it may have happened. Rachel howled in anger and anguish only to feel pure satisfaction when Leah twitched and contorted in pain once more. Anger and hate was what kept her _alive_.

And it was what made her do things. Things she didn't realize she could do.

It happened when Leah was looking at their reflection in the mirror. For the first time since the intrusion, Leah talked directly to her.

"Can't you see what we're doing is right?!"

_Right?_ This person, whoever she was, took control of her body and was ruining everything she and Chad worked tooth and nail for. What she could see was distress and the deep seated wish that she could further torture the woman and show her her true face.

Leah had recoiled in horror when their hair was starting to turn brown.

_Stop it!_ Rachel screamed. Or was it Leah? _Just stop!_

There was a notch in her armor as Leah recoiled once more off guard and Rachel dived in like a wildfire, scorching everything of Leah's in her path as she tried to find some weakness, anything to drive her presence out for good. There were flashes of memories that weren't hers, one of dispassion and envy for the gifted operatives who graduated into the Kids Next Door...

...jealousy for the new Supreme Leader, the first female in the seventh age since Numbuh 999 founded the position.

It was Leah's turn to lash out, forcing Rachel out of her thoughts and blowing away the flames that came from her wake. But it was too late to suppress Rachel. Now she understood her place in this chaos of a shattered mind.

_If I have to destroy the both of us to protect everyone, I'll do it_ , Rachel growled as fire once again ignited Leah's control over her body. Leah threatened her physical body with scissors, but the threat was empty to her. _If you won't leave,_ _I'll raze this mind until it's nothing but ashes and I'm taking you with me._

"How are you doing this?" Leah breathlessly asked her reflection, sweat beading down her forehead from the exertion. Somewhere deep inside Rachel showed her the answer, an answer she didn't understand, but it was the right one.

_Because I have the Echo._


End file.
